The National Electrification Administration (NEA) recently led the ceremonial switch-on of the 14-millionth consumer connection in the country under the rural electrification program.
The 14 millionth household connection is located in Sitio Kamias-Badjao Annex, Barangay Bus-Bus, Municipality of Jolo, Sulu province under the coverage area of the Sulu Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SULECO).
Since the inception of REP in 1969, the NEA, with the ECs as the implementing arm of the program has energized 78 provinces, 90 cities, 1,385 municipalities, 36,051 barangays.
The recipient family is a member of the Badjao community. The mother of two, Indahming Asanji works as a “labandera” (laundrywoman) while her husband is a porter/laborer at the Jolo wharf.
The ceremonial switch-on was held in Barangay Bus-Bus, Jolo, on April 16, 2021, with NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong and officials from SULECO leading the activity.
In his message, Masongsong underscored the importance of the government’s Rural Electrification Program (REP) in uplifting the living conditions of communities.
He also assured that the agency, together with the 121 electric cooperatives (ECs), will not stop in its mission of bringing electricity to the countryside, and ensuring the benefits of electricity will lead to countryside development for all.
“Hindi tayo hihinto,” Masongsong said during the ceremony. “Hindi pa tapos ang programa ng NEA na rural electrification kung hindi pa umaasenso ang buhay ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino.”
The NEA chief also urged SULECO, as well as the other ECs nationwide supervised by the agency, to work further not just to energize the last mile “but to realize rural development that is sustainable and will contribute to genuine nation-building.”
As of December 2020, the NEA data showed there are 14.253 million consumer connections under the franchise areas of the 121 ECs across the country.
Since the inception of REP in 1969, the NEA, with the ECs as the implementing arm of the program has energized 78 provinces, 90 cities, 1,385 municipalities, 36,051 barangays.
As of December 2020, the NEA data showed there are 14.253 million consumer connections under the franchise areas of the 121 ECs across the country.
Present at the ceremony were RECOBODA party-list Rep. Godofredo N. Guya, SULECO Board President Muhibuddin A. Ismail, SULECO General Manager Peraida T. Jalani; representatives from Sulu provincial government, Jolo municipal government and the 35th Infantry Makamandag Battalion; AMRECO president Jose Raul Saniel and MORESCO II project supervisor Edmundo Pacamalan.
Also in attendance were NEA Deputy Administrator for Technical Services Artis Nikki Tortola, Total Electrification and Renewable Energy Development Department (TEREDD) Director Ernesto Silvano, Jr. and Database Management and Program Control Division (DMPCD) Manager Leilani Rico.