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By David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Oct. 2 (PIA) - A total of 104 puroks/sitios and three barangays will be enjoying the luxury that electric power could give as targeted under Batch II by the Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ASELCO) to energize until December of this year.
According to ASELCO General Manager Emmanuel Galarce, the first batch during the initial release by the government fund for this year comprised 42 puroks/ sitios and eight barangays where three barangays from Esperanza town were left behind subject to be completed during the second batch which will end up on December this year.
For the second batch beneficiaries, it covers the three barangays and three puroks of Esperanza, 11 puroks of Bayugan City, eight puroks of Bunawan, three puroks of La Paz, five puroks of Loreto,18 puroks of Prosperidad, ten puroks of Rosario, 22 puroks of San Francisco, two of San Luis, seven from Sibagat, four from Talacogon, eight from Trento, dfive from Veruela and one from Sta. Josefa.
“The Barangay Line Enhancement Program (BLEP) and the Sitio Electrification Program (SLEP) are President Aquino’s pronounced commitment to the Filipino people that by the end of 2006, all barangays and sitios nationwide are already energized. For ASELCO, aside from the scheduled 107 barangays and sitios, we added our target by 37 sitios and this will increase our commitment to 200 BLEP and SLEP until December of this year. We are also proud to tell you that after the completion of the first batch where ASELCO excelled by meeting the target on time and returning some P2.3 million excess fund to the national treasury, your cooperative was awarded the most transparent and efficient electric cooperative nationwide,” GM Galarce said.
During a consultative and Coordination meeting attended by 75 Barangay Captains and 107 sitios and puroks chairpersons as beneficiaries held last week, Chief of ASELCO’s Members Services Department Luzviminda Flores said they conducted said meeting in order that beneficiaries of P-Noy’s BLEP and SLEP would be knowledgeable of the process of the program for easier faster implementation.
“First, beneficiaries should know that this program also needs the spirit of volunteerism from the beneficiaries and the community so that they will be willing to help transport needed materials specially in remote places and the clearing of areas where the electric posts will be erected and to help explain to the members of the community why there is a need to cut trees that could affect the electric lines installation. And the most important participation of the community is to ensure the safety of the people that will be working on the project,” Flores said.(DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
