Gina P. Dizon
(Lifted from Village Reports, official publication of Montanosa Research and Development Center)
TINGLAYAN, Kalinga -- The 17 year old functional 5 kilowatt micro hydro plant (MHP) of Ngibat in the municipality of Tinglayan, Kalinga stands the test of time. Ngibat is one of 20 barangays of Tinglayan inhabited by the Butbut tribe accessible through hiking from Maswa roadside via a 1.5 to 2 hour uphill trek.
Catering to some 42 households, the MHP installation in 1993 continues to be very useful to the resident- farmers who do rice farming as their major source of livelihood and blacksmithing as an additional source of income. The micro hydro serves as food processing implement for the rice mill, sugar cane crusher and flour mill, aside from house lighting.
With manual rice pounding which uses up a considerable number of hours, the installation of the rice mill has saved time for other purposes such as cleaning the fields, tending to the children and doing household chores such as sanitation. With time given for cleanliness and sanitation of the community, Ngibat was earlier proclaimed cleanest barangay in Tinglayan.
Production processes in the village like many of the subsistence areas of the region is labour intensive. With the installation of the MHP, it energizes the community blacksmith industry. It was designed to run electric machines such as drill press, electric grinder and blower which help local blacksmith develop production of farm implements. This enables blacksmithers to produce more appropriate farm tools and equipment that will in turn make production processes lighter and less burdensome .
The installation of the hydro power-run blacksmith facility brings a significant increase in income with production having gone higher. There was a noted increase of household income from blacksmiths’ sales of bolos and farm implements.
Skilled blacksmiths produce various basic and farm implements such as fachil or bolo, sanggap or cleaning tools, wasay or ax, and gipan or knives. These are produced and sold within and outside the village. The blacksmiths also fabricate their own wheelbarrows and bellows.
In 1997, the electric driven- sugar cane presser was installed and put into operation.
Years after, sugarcane is grown almost in every backyard and some extended parches of payew since the operationalization of the sugarcane presser component of the micro hydro.
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The Ngibat Farmers Association manages the MHP collecting 22 pesos per month per household for energy consumption. Each household is allowed a 40 watt maximum. Electrical energy is open at night time for six hours.
The NFA’s working committees on rice milling and sugar cane pressing directly supervise activities such as daily microhydro electrical operations and monthly collections. These activities are directly monitored both by NFA and MRDC.
In rice milling, NFA collects P10.00 milling fee where a minimal amount goes to the operator, to the helper, and the rest of the payment to the organization. Schedule of rice milling is every Sunday and Wednesday.
With the establishment of the sugar cane presser machine in 1997, it opened uma for sugar cane cultivation involving 28 household. Residents formed their own ‘ubbo’ (small groups) and engaged in production of basi with equal profit arrangement. It was noted that demand for basic could double during election periods. For 80 liters of basi processed, the basi maker gives 4 liters to the organization for community use during occassions.
Guidelines on power usage, technical and organizational management were set by the organization. Technical supervision and management of the rice mill is done by the appointed personnel.
With the membership of the NFA composed of some barangay officials, access to fund support is easier. For one, funds were accessed from the government to buy two ‘kuliglig’, said Luis Edpis, liaison officer of NFA to MRDC.
The strong cooperation of the Ngibat community strengthened the progress of the MHP since its construction 17 years ago. Some units were made such as the housing of pulleys, and bearings were replaced during its fourth year of operation. In 2000, after its seven years of continuous operation the turbine was replaced. Though there are intermittent brownout during summer time because of poor maintenance of the power canal affecting the water flow.
The maintenance of the MHP by the villagers improved their knowledge in MHP technical operation having supervised and managed the facility through the years. Additional skills gained by the community were on welding and electricity.
With the management of the MHP, the villagers learned good practises such as paying monthly obligations, auditing, and strict implementation of agreed policies on rice milling and sugar production
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It was then a time in the history of the Cordillera that the village of Ngibat searched for genuine pro-people development strategies during the height of the Anti-Chico Dam struggle in the early ‘80s. The construction of the water-powered rice mill in Buscalan, a neighboring village became an eye-opener that water can be harnessed for energy. This started the discussion with the Montanosa Research and Development Center (MRDC) and the people of Ngibat of a micro-hydro that would, aside from energizing production would also provide electricity for the community in the long run. This was in 1986. An idea that remained dormant for more than five years due to intense and continued harassments both from the military and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA).
NFA took off from where it left in 1986 and requested MRDC in 1991 to assist them in theconstruction of the proposed micro-hydro project, and SIBAT (SibolAgham at Teknolohiya) assisting in the operational cost.
Ground breaking for the actual implementation of the project in the second semester of 1992 took following a feasibility study and targeted to be completed by June 1993.
As part of the sustainability mechanism, inter-tribal consultation with the Tulgao tribe was convened mainly to agree on the continued protection of their common watershed area which is the source of water for the microhydro. MRDC with suport from its partners, provided the materials and the people did the labor which included excavation, clearing and riprapping of the irrigation canal, hauling of materials, construction of reservoir and powerhouse, installation of penstock, carpentry, blacksmith, and stonewalling.
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Ngibat is situated in the southernmost part of Tinglayan in the province of Kalinga. It is one of the five villages inhabited by the Butbut tribes subsumed by the Kalingans. The other four Butbut barangays are Bugnay, Buscalan, Locong and Butbut Proper.
On the west runs the Sulong Creek which originates from Mt Chumangchill, passes through the north part of Ngibat and falls steeply to join the Chico River. On the east of the village is the famour Sleeping Beauty, one of the major tourist attractions in the municipality.
Barangay Ngibat is accessible mainly by foot from the Maswa roadside after 1 ½ hour semi-vertical ascent along foot trails that pass through cogon lands and rice fields. From Bontocproper ,it takes 2 and ½ hours ride by jeep along the Bontoc-Kalinga National Road to Maswa which is the nearest entry point to the village.
Like other remote places in the Cordillera, Ngibat including its neighboring barangays and towns of Tinglayan has no electricity for a long time. The nearest grid to the north is at barangay Limus, Pinukpuk. Very recently a year ago, Kalinga Electric Company (KAELCO) has laid out its electric lines in Ngibat. It was learned that some households intend to connect with KAELCO while still connected to the MHP to answer for day energy use.
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