Monday, July 10, 2006
US-funded solar power equipment burned in clashes
A UNITED States-funded electrification program in the town of Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao was among those destroyed during the weeklong fighting between government and Moro rebel forces.
Initial estimate placed the damage at P10.8 million, according to Theresa Cruz-Cappelan, chief of party of the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (Amore).
Amore is the implementing arm of the project funded by the United States Assistance for International Development (Usaid).
Damage to properties, however, could still rise as tens of houses in several villages in the town were also burned down during fierce gun battles between the Philippine military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
"We are saddened by the fact that instead of collectively working for development, our barangays in Maguidanao are being bombed and fierce gun battles are ensuing," she said.
The alliance has been providing electricity to impoverished and war-affected communities in Maguindanao and other parts of Mindanao since 2002. It employs the renewable solar and hydropower systems.
Cecile Rodriguez, the alliance's media liaison officer, said five villages in Shariff Aguak and four in Mamasapano that have been installed with the solar power system have been razed to the ground.
In these villages, some 270 solar panel systems have been constructed at a cost of P40,000 each.
"Our efforts to light up their homes, mosques, schools and barangay halls have been destroyed. It's unfortunate that these development works were destroyed by the war," she said.
"We're back to zero as far as these nine villages in Shariff Aguak and Mamasapano are concerned. We hope to bring back their electricity once the tension subsides."
Capellan said that last Tuesday, nearly two dozens local government units out of Maguindanao's 28 towns have declared an all-out war against rogue elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
"This is especially distressing for families who had to flee their barangays, leaving all their personal belongings behind. We have received reports from our community partners that 90% of the houses in their barangays had been burned," she added.
Some 4,000 families were reported to have fled to evacuation centers or have sought refuge at their relative for fear of getting caught in the crossfire.
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(July 10, 2006 issue)
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