LOOKING at providing reliable power supply to people of Palawan, the provincial government there has programmed to allot P110 million to finance its solar home-system project.

The provincial government of Palawan will tap proceeds from the Malampaya royalties to fund the project.

Palawan Gov. Joey Reyes said he has approved the start of the second and third phases of the solar home-system project.

In a statement, Reyes said the allocation is in line with the interim agreement with the national government, the provincial government, and the first and second congressional districts. 

He added that it is also being implemented through an executive order issued by President Arroyo.

With proceeds from the Malampaya financing the solar home-system project, its second and third phases will provide reliable solar-based electricity to 960 households in 24 barangays in the municipalities of Coron, Culion, Dumaran, Linapacan and Quezon.

The provincial government added that it also includes the provision of five solar-powered streetlights in each beneficiary-barangay.

Under the project, every household will be provided with a unit of 25-watt peak photovoltaic module (solar panel), two pieces 7-watt compact fluorescent DC, one unit 40-ampere-hour, 12-volt battery, one set charge controller with FM/AM radio, and one lot  in-house wiring.

“With the solar home system, family members have become more productive. Children are able to study and parents can attend to their household chores even at night, and are given access to media through the radio set that comes with the package,” Reyes said. 

The governor added solar energy is helping a lot of rural households located in off-grid areas acquire electricity. 

He further noted that one of the priority programs of Palawan is to achieve 100-percent barangay electrification under its Provincial Energy Development Program. 

Citing its projected population increases and the demand for agro-industrial use, the provincial government estimates its power needs to increase to 100 megawatts in a few more years.

Since not all areas in the province have access to power generated by the transmission lines of the National Power Corp. (Napocor), according to Reyes, they have devised a solution that will invariably change the lives of the beneficiaries.

Started in January 2007, the Energy Division has installed 480 solar home systems in the same number of households in l12 barangays in the municipalities of Aborlan, El Nido, Roxas, Quezon and Taytay.  Forty families in each barangay are bene-fiting from phase one of the project. “We have a lot of sun power in Palawan which we are putting into good use to provide energy to rural households,” said Reyes, adding that it is a good alternative source, as it produces electricity without the pollutants. 

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