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Sitio Electrification gets PNoy nod

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President Benigno S. Aquino III has given priority to the Sitio Electrification and Barangay Line Enhancement Programs in compliance to his administration’s social contract with the Filipino people.

The economic pillars of the Aquino Administration are job creation and investment generation to improve the lives of the Filipinos, especially the poor. Along this line, Energy Secretary and NEA Board Chair Jose Rene D. Almendras has interceded to the President for the approval of funds for the two Programs. The President has approved the necessary funds for the programs, on a yearly basis of at least P2 billion. This fund can be increased based on status of the program such as pace of completion, promptness to compliance of project requirements and breadth of impact.

 

Department of Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad has, likewise, supported the implementation of the programs by facilitating the release of funds for this purpose. As an initial amount, it has released P814.41 million on September 22, 2011 to the NEA for the Sitio Electrification Project.

In a meeting with President Aquino in Malacanañang, Administrator Edita S. Bueno assured the President that NEA and the ECs will complete targeted sitios. She informed the President that project implementation can be fast tracked through proper evaluation and validation of projects based on set criteria such as proximity to tapping points, access to site, number of beneficiaries, and cooperation of local leaders and residents. She also told the President that program implementation can be done through several ways such as contracting, by administration or by tapping Task Force Kapatid.

The electric cooperatives are the main implementers of the programs with DOE and NEA as the supervising agencies. The ECs will be assisted in program implementation. NEA will ascertain meeting targets and compliances to timelines according to prescribed standards, rules and regulations.

As such, NEA shall submit regular reports to the DOE and the DBM, concerning program status including percentage completed and the actual costs incurred. The administrative cost of 3.5% of the sitio projects will cover supervision, inspection and audit of projects by NEA and COA.

Administrator Edita S. Bueno said, “electricity is a basic infrastructure that must be enjoyed by all Filipinos. We are grateful that the Aquino Administration has included Rural Electrification as one of its priority programs by channeling funds for the Sitio Electrification Program. Indeed, providing energy access for more Filipinos is a key to countryside development and poverty alleviation.”

There are 32,403 sitios all over the country without power. The bulk of the fund amounting to P116.9M will go to Northern Mindanao to electrify 184 sitios. Bicol Region is allotted P84.8M to energize 136 sitios while P74.4M will go to the Caraga Region to power up 103 sitios.

NEA conducted a seminar-workshop for all ECs in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to ensure the timely completion of this project on September 19-20 in Quezon City and September 21-24 for the Luzon and Visayas/Mindanao ECs, respectively. Participants included 473 Board Presidents, General Managers and Department Managers of the ECs to secure their commitment and to lay down duties and responsibilities to comply with the project requirements.

As of 04 November 2011, the amount of P363.51M has been released to 92 ECs.