238 Mountain Province sitios energized; 93 on

By Andrew Doga-ong

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Mountain Province Electric Cooperative through the government’s SitioEnergization Program has energized 238 sitios while electrification of 93 others are ongoing.

Aside from 239 energized sitios benefitting 3,886 households, three barangays namely Maducayan, Natonin; Ambagiw, Besao and Buringal, Paracelis energized with solar system under SEP.

Darwin Facullo, Mopreco finance service manager, said funding support from the national government released through the National Electrification Administration enabled the local electric cooperative to realize its mandate of bringing electricity even to the remotest villages in the province.

President Benigno Aquino III, in 2011 embarked on a long-term SEP in a bid to energize all far-flung sitios by 2016 to boost economic activities in the countryside.

Facullo said bringing power to far-flung villages entail big financial requirements that it need support from the national government and other sources.

Mopreco management he said  is also grateful to the provincial government for providing financial subsidy to the local electric cooperative and to the Office of the Congressman for collaborating with NEA for the release of the needed funds for SEP for Mountain Province.

Mopreco records showed P235 million was released for the SEP and Barangay Line Enhancement Program for the province.

He said the franchise area of MOPRECO is unique, as compared to other franchise areas of other cooperatives, because of the mountainous terrain which makes it very costly.