One hundred more villages in Mindanao to receive the gift of light

In a simple signing ceremony held last month, Mirant Philippines Foundation transferred Php50 million to the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) through Winrock International, in support of the country’s bid towards full electrification in off-grid areas in Mindanao by 2008. The 50 million pesos is a gift from the departing Mirant Philippines, whose assets have been purchased by a Tokyo Electric Power Co-Marubeni Corp. consortium.

According to AMORE Chief Tetchi Cruz-Capellan, “the 50million grant is a going away gift of Mirant Philippines to the people of Mindanao. The funds are intended to prepare poor and conflict-ridden communities maintain their individual solar home systems through proper and regular care, good governance of local institutions, and fiscal responsibility to ensure system parts replacement as well as expansion of household coverage.”
 
The AMORE Program is a rural electrification initiative established in 2002 by a partnership agreement among the USAID, Mirant Philippines Foundation, Department of Energy, and  Winrock International.

In every barangay served by AMORE, a local organization is formed to facilitate the selection of qualified households who will receive home lighting systems. To date, the program has energized 413 villages, and reached about 12,000 households by using renewable energy technology like hydro-electric and solar home systems. In terms of geographical coverage, AMORE provided electricity to about 16 percent of the total energized villages in the ARMM.

Throughout the years, Mirant Philippines Foundation supported AMORE and funded about 75 percent of the program’s hardware.

Capellan added, “Mirant Philippines is not only a funder to AMORE, but a partner sharing our belief that development doesn’t end with the delivery and installation of the solar home systems in remote barangays.  We believe that lighting systems is just the beginning, as it sparks hope and triggers community action leading to community empowerment. ”