By Leilanie Adriano
LAOAG CITY – This Yuletide season will shine brighter for a small community of 13 households, comprising 16 families or 59 individuals, as their homes here have finally been connected to the power grid.
Relocated to Barangay San Lorenzo to make way for the ongoing construction of the provincial transport hub in Barangay San Pedro, the residents see the installation of a permanent power line in their new community as an early Christmas gift.
“This is a big help to us as we no longer need to seek power connection elsewhere,” Arlene Corpuz, one of the residents of the newly established Sitio Maharlika, told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday.
During the ceremonial energization of the area on Tuesday night, Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) assistant manager Cipriano Martinez III said they have allocated some PHP330,000 for the initiative.
“Under the Rural Electrification [Program] of NEA (National Electrification Administration), the electric cooperative is obligated to put electric connection to an area with 10 households and above for free. Lower than that, they have to pay,” Martinez said.
The latest survey shows there are around 1,700 households in Ilocos Norte with no connection yet to the distribution line of INEC.
To achieve the 100-percent energization target in the province, INEC is partnering with local government units to energize the remaining isolated households.
“We will use this (Sitio Maharlika energization) as a model to achieve our target,” Martinez said.
Aside from the provision of electric connection, the local governments of Laoag and Ilocos Norte have teamed up to ensure that residents of Sitio Maharlika will also be given access to potable water and livelihood. (PNA)
