Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin has challenged the electric cooperatives (ECs) to work towards reaching total electrification by 2028 as mandated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) last month.
Garin was the guest of honor at the 56th founding anniversary of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and 16th National Electrification Awareness Month at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City on Thursday, August 7.
“The message of our President during his 4th SONA was very clear. DOE and NEA will pursue and fulfill the target number of households to be electrified this year until 2028,” she said.
Garin, however, said the DOE or even the NEA cannot do it alone.
“You are what DOE and NEA need. This is a message not only for DOE, not only for NEA, but for each and every person today. We will reach, we have to reach, and we are directed to reach — total electrification by 2028,” she added.
In his SONA, the President said the government would provide electricity to at least 1 million more homes using solar power in the next three years, particularly in the provinces of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Palawan, Masbate, Samar, Negros Occidental, and Zamboanga del Sur.
“This is not a mere target. It is a mandate rooted in our shared commitment to equitable development, inclusive progress that we must fulfill. For decades, NEA, together with our ECs, has stood at the forefront of nation-building,” Garin said.
She said the DOE and the President recognize the complexity and difficulty of the mission of the ECs in delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity, particularly in missionary and underserved areas.
“But we are confident that through unity, perseverance and innovation, we can rise above all these challenges,” the DOE chief said.
Garin said statistics show that if a house is energized, its income increases, and in agriculture, its production increases by 22 percent.
NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda said he is fully aware that limited national budget is a reality that must be faced on the path to total electrification.
“However, I am committed to our mission. Our agency will do everything in its power to realize our President’s vision for the country. Powering the future doesn’t simply mean connecting homes, it means being able to support the industrial development of our nation,” he added.
Almeda assured the ECs that NEA, together with the DOE, will address the improvement of their backbone distribution and sub-transmission lines next year.
During an informal discussion on “Sparking Rural Growth: Rural Electrification as a Catalyst for Development,” Vivant Energy Corp. president Emil Garcia said it will take both public leadership and private initiative to make rural electrification truly happen.
“Rural electrification is not just about energy. It is about equity. It is about dignity. It’s about giving people the power to learn, earn, and grow without having to leave their communities behind,” he said.*PNA