AMORE electrifies 46 new villages in Mindanao

Some 1,500 households in 46 remote, conflict-affected villages in Mindanao began the year with new hope and bright lights with AMORE’s installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Of these villages, 78%, or 36 villages, are in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (16 in Tawi-Tawi, 13 in the newly created ARMM province of Shariff Kabunsuan that was formerly in Maguindanao, and 7 in Maguindanao). The ARMM is the least electrified region in the country.

The remaining 10 villages are in Zamboanga del Sur, which is among the poorest and least electrified provinces in the country.

The solar power systems were funded by Mirant Philippines Foundation, AMORE’s lead private-sector partner. They were purchased from Shell Solar Philippines Corporation with a 60% subsidy from the Dutch Government under the Philippine National Oil Company’s Solar Home Systems Distribution Program.

AMORE is maximizing prospects for the sustainability of the systems via community organizing and capacity building. To ensure equity for the continued maintenance and expansion of the systems, the households contribute a monthly fee to their village association, which AMORE trains to manage, maintain and expand the systems. The funds are deposited in a bank under the name of the association.

AMORE’s electrification of the 46 villages brings to 273 the total number of villages it has electrified since February 2002.

Of these villages, 270 were electrified with solar photovoltaic systems and three with microhydro power.