Saturday, June 02, 2007 US ambassador visits energy project in island village
AMERICAN Ambassador Kristie Kenney and Mayor Celso Lobregat visited the island of Pangapuyan in the east coast Friday to inspect solar panel projects implemented by the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (Amore) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAid).
Pangapuyan residents led by barangay chairman Hadji Abdulgani Jailani were overwhelmed by the presence of the envoy and the mayor, as they expressed gratitude to the US government for the energization project in their village.
Kenney said improving the lives of the local residents and keeping them safe are the main objectives of the solar panel projects in Pangapuyan.
She thanked the residents profusely for the warm reception afforded to her by the residents, saying "it is for all of us a real honor to be friends with you I hope you will invite me back."
Lobregat said it is very rare for a foreigner, specifically a representative from the strongest country in the world, to visit island barangays like Pangapuyan.
He stressed that the project to energize the island villages is a partnership between the American government, Amore, the national government and the City Government as well as the barangay council.
When he was in Congress from 1998 to 2004, Lobregat said he partnered with other national agencies in the energization project for the main land barangays.
However, since no connections were available for the electrification of the island barangays, representations were made with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to find ways to implement the project in the areas concerned.
He said the national government asked the help of Amore, the organization that implemented the project with funds from the US government. "So they (American officials) are here today to look at the project and to see who benefited from it in Pangapuyan."
At least 400 poor, remote, conflict-affected communities in Mindanao are sustained with renewable energy systems and enabled to expand their development through the intervention of Amore.
Amore Senior Regional Operations Manager Engr. Miralam Tillah III, in coordination with the City Government, organized Kenney's visit to the island barangay.
From Pangapuyan, the ambassador and the mayor and other American officials proceeded to Boalan Elementary School to distribute books, which is part of the USAid Education Awareness Support Effort (Ease) Matching Grant Project. (SE)
