MISAMIS Oriental Rural Electric Service Cooperative-1 (Moresco 1) celebrated its 47th anniversary by powering up two-megawatt Modular Generation Sets last week.

The portable generators were acquired through the National Electrification Administration (NEA)-Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) of the Department of Energy (DOE).

The SEP was launched by the Aquino administration in 2011 to provide electricity in far-flung communities through the installation of gensets.

Three years after it was launched, the number of sitios completely energized in Misamis Oriental under Moresco 1 increased from 94 in 2011 to 132 at the end of 2014.

About 4,000 households are expected to benefit from the modular gensets.

The gensets were distributed in the 10 franchise areas of MORESCO: the towns of Alubijid, lnitao, Opel, Lugait, Laguindingan, Manticao, Gitagum, Libertad, Naawan, El Salvador City in Misamis Oriental, the 15 baranggays in Cagayan de Oro City, the 17 baranggays in the Municipality of Talakag, a barangay in Baungon in the Province of Bukidnon, and a barangay in Iligan City.

In his speech during the Moresco anniversary, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla reminded members of the cooperative: "It is your duty to help the directors of our electric companies if we are aware of, for example, electric jumpers in the community, because it is not only the directors who will experience the loss but also you."