Beneco energizes Kayapa, Tacadang sitios in Benguet

By Laarni Sibayan

BAKUN, Benguet – It was god given. 
    This was the chorus here of households from nine sitios in Kayapa, Bakun and two sitios from Tacadang, Kibungan on Oct. 18 when their villages got what they dreamt for a long time – to have electricity. 
    The Benguet Electric Cooperative travelled for five hours for the ceremonial switch on bringing with them doctors and dentists to underscore the need to bring power for homes in far flung areas. 
    Lecino Daniel, spokesperson of the beneficiaries of the government’s Sitio Electrification Program, said Beneco’s linemen did not stop working just to bring the wires and poles to his community. 
    “Despite bad weather and incessant rain that made their way slippery, the BENECO linemen refused to stop," he said.
    The new connections benefitted the sitios of Lipay, Labour, Sumap, Lipucan, Bilig,Lebba, Kiwet, UpperTeg-il and Lower Biling in Kayapa, Bakun town and sitios Lanipew and Asug in Tacadang, Kibungan town.
    Household members from Tacadang trekked to Kayapa to join the switch on that was also graced by Kibungan mayor Cesar Molitas, vice mayor Edwin Nitron and Beneco task force chairperson Steve Cating.
    In Kayapa, the amount of P5.49 million was used to fund the erection of 73 poles, 2.5 kilometers of primary lines and 1.4 kilometers of secondary lines. A total of P1.99 million was used in Tacadang for the erection of 27 posts, 1.5 kilometers of primary lines and 1.4 kilometers of secondary lines. 
    National Electrification Administration (Nea) representatives were present during the program as they earlier conducted an inspection of the project’s completion.
    The energized areas were included in the P80 million sitio energization program granted by the Nea to Beneco in 2020. 
Daniel, a father of six children and a long time resident of sitio Lipay in Bakun was very grateful.
“Nepnep idi, ket kasla da la bakes idiay nagalis nga poste ket ipappapilit da uray agtudtudo piman…Nag-urnong kami ti pinang sanga ili mi kanyada. Nakitak ti trabaho da ta kinuykuyog ko isuda. Dios ti talged tayu, ket agyaman kami ti daydiay inyeg yu nga silaw kadakami. Diay panangilibre yu diay metro mi, haan mi nga binayadan. Ni Apo dios kuma ti mangsubad idiay nga ayat yu kadakami. Dios ti Agngina,” said Daniel, 72, in the vernacular  while invoking the name of God to drive his message of gratitude.
    (There was a strong rain then, but the linemen were like monkeys working to erect the poles. We in the villages welcomed them. I saw them work because I went with them. I thank you very much for the light you brought us. We cannot repay the free meters you gave us. God will answer the love you gave us)
    Cating said the energization is an example of public service at its best. “Beneco will continue to provide light without immediately considering the return of investments,” he said. 
    Mateo Langpaoen, Kayapa barangay chair, expressed his gratitude in behalf of his constituents. He said that in their desire to finally have power, the residents themselves helped carry the posts from the nearest road to their sitios. 
    “The terrain proved very challenging for the Beneco team that worked on the project. It is very difficult to string the power lines along the towering mountains of Kayapa,” recalled Mario Calatan, a Beneco engineer. 
Joining the switch on were the Baguio Lions Club Everlasting, the Philippine Dental Association, private medical volunteers, donors for the “Boxes of Joy” gifts and books from Maricar Docyogen of Bookends.

The dental group served 204 residents while the medical group attended to 180 patients. Around 112 eye check-ups were also conducted.