Hydro boosts income of far Kalinga town

HAPPY WEEKEND
Gina Dizon

BALBALAN, Kalinga --For 135 households of SitioMabaca of this remote town, the installation of a micro hydro power plant means surplus rice production and income augmented for household needs.

The 25-kilowatt micro hydro plant constructed by Montanosa Research and Development Center (MRDC) in partnership with the technical expertise of SibolAgham at Teknolohiya (SIBAT) led to the construction of a hydro – powered rice mill and a blacksmith shop. Montanosa Relief and Rehabilitation Services (MRRS) assisted in the survey and implementation of the project.Said project is supported by Germany-based EED.

Updates from Village Reports of MRDC's official publication notes that the rice mill installed in 2004 means money saved for those who have their palay milled the town center in Salegseg in a downhill seven- hour trek and another eight- hour up-hill trek to bring the milled rice home.

Hauling fees of one half cavan of rice commands 150 pesos bringing the palay to the milling center and bringing the milled rice back to Mabaka. Though others who are hired for their services prefer to be paid in kind with at least one ganta per can.

The rice mill constructed in 2004 is open three days a week. A can of milled rice costs 10 pesos or for those who wish to have it paid in kind will pay 2 chupas of milled rice per can to the Mabaca Farmers Alluyon who manages the rice mill.

The presence of a local rice mill has also greatly reduced time and effort spent in pounding rice. A can of rice pounded in three hours is consumed for at least five days by one household. With the presence of the rice mill closer to home, more time is now spent for other activities including other work in the field, taking care of children, and domestic chores.

Insufficiency of rice production moved the community to form ubbo (mutual help groups) composed of 6-15 persons who worked for the expansion of around eight hectares of rice fields over a two-three year period starting in 2004, Luis Edpis, then assigned as MRDC's community organizer said.

The installation of the pandayan (blacksmith shop) which produced digging and cutting tools including bolos, sickles, sanggap, shovels and wheelbarrow significantly boosted work in the expanded rice land area.

With an additional increase of rice fields carved from the lower elevated mountains, the people are able to increase their rice supply and provide the insufficiency of rice production which falls short four months before the next harvest season. Prior to the installation of the MHP in 2004, the 135 households buy some 808cavans from the town center to augment their lack of rice production.

The lack of 808 cavans per year equivalent to P1,200 per cavan of rice including hauling fees total P969, 600.00 or nearly a million pesos spent on rice/year bought by households from the town center.
Since 2006 with the full operation of the MHP and the rice mill, Mabaca enjoys sufficient rice supply from its own production and has then been known to sell rice to other neighboring areas in Gawaan, Tanap, and in the town center at Salegseg.

The year 2006 also saw the mounting of the dynamo, installation of the panel board and transmission lines to the blacksmith building with the supervision of the MRDC staff and Triclops.

Increase of rice supply is also due to the supply of water with irrigation canals in place. MRDC’s
Projects Development Officer Roger Lambino said the construction of a limestone lined 1,000 meter irrigation canal located 150 meters above the power house meant regular water supply for the rice fields. Near the tank is a diversion canal that directs the water to the community and into an irrigation canal to the rice fields of Bayowong.

With rice produce being earlier insufficient due to one cropping attributed to lack of irrigation facilities, working the irrigation canal from the Bayowong Creek to the ricefields has contributed to increased rice production.

The hydro power system is fed with water from the Bayowong creek that comes from several artesian springs that run year round. Bayowong creek is a tributary to the Mabaca River.

With the pandayan in place, the people are able to make a dapilan (sugar cane presser) to extract sugar cane and make muscovado from the sugar juice. The community folks also make basi, a favorite sugare cane wine drank in special occasions including weddings, baptisms and graduations. Trainings were conducted by MRDC on the operation of the MHP, including practical wiring and leadership skills and values. Practical house wiring is also given and actual practice is conducted.

In the same year of 2006, transmission lines for electrical wiring for household lighting was completed. Mabaca is not covered within the national electric grid. With the installation of the MHP, the households use electric current for house lighting following the conduct of a ritual celebrated by the elders.

The Barangay Mabaca Electric Cooperative (BMEC) was created December 2006 by the Mabaca Farmers Alluyon and the Mabaca Barangay Council through a barangay assembly. The cooperative’s daily affairs are taken care of by a management committee with 7-10 members. Cooperative members are grouped according to where purok they belong, group leaders were assigned by the members.

Policies and guidelines were formulated with the understanding that the BMEC is collectively owned by the MFA, an organization of farmers and the people of barangay Mabaca.