ANTIQUE – At least 453 households in remote areas of this province finally got electricity connections after the successful implementation of the Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) by the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
Beneficiary sitios (sub-villages) of the SEP are in the towns of Tobias Fornier, Hamtic, San Jose de Buenavista, Sibalom, San Remigio, Belison, Patnongon, Culasi, and Sebaste.
NEA partnered with the Antique Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ANTECO), the power distributor of this province, to install distribution facilities and house wiring in 23 rural communities.
According to NEA deputy administrator Engr. Ernesto Silvano, Jr., Antique is one of the provinces with the largest SEP allocation.
“Napaka-swerte po ng inyong probinsya. Because during the course of allocating funds from the government para sa sitio electrification, isa po kayo sa pinakamalaking binigyan noong 2023,” said Silvano.
NEA and ANTECO held a ceremonial lighting on Saturday, March 16, in District II, Sibalom, to officially mark the start of the energization project.
Present during the ceremony was Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao, who believes the project will help neutralize unfriendly military forces in far-flung communities.
She added that SEP will soon open doors of opportunity to these communities in terms of education, healthcare, and livelihood.
“Ang purpose nito, here in Antique, is that no barangay should be left behind, no sitio should be left behind, and no one is purposefully left behind,” said Cadiao.
Silvano, meanwhile, added that NEA is allocating more funds to achieve total electrification in Antique, with 52 sitios still lacking electricity.
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. aims to achieve 100 percent electrification in the country by the end of his term. NEA forecasts reaching 91 percent electrification by 2024 and total national electrification by 2027. (With a report from PIO Lavega, Provincial Government of Antique)/PN
