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Philippines |
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Solar energy lights up El Nido villages |
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Source: Manila Bulletin |
Author: Rachel S. Castro |
Date: 1999-03-15 |
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The El Nido Solar Energy Pilot Project or ENSOLAR is a two year
project (March 1997-March 1999) which aims to bring electricity initially
to 14 out of the 18 villages in El Nido. This pilot project is supported by
the Spanish government and the Instituto de Promocion y Apoyo al
Desarollo (IPADE). Rep. Ta?ada said that the communities are the
moving forces behind the implementation of this solar energy project.
"Their willingness to try out the technology and their commitment in
the whole process from the planning to implementation and
management is making this work." He added that 14 people's
institutions called Solar Energy Consumers Organizations (SECOs) was
organized to help ensure the project's sustainability. These comprise
the sectors of women, tribal communities, farmers and fisherfolks.
The project is in its last phase of implementation. Currently, 81 households
across the villages of Bagong Bayan and Aberawan have been installed of
household solar photovoltaic power system while two street lights have been
put up in Villa Libertad and Barotuan. These households are also being
provided the necessary awareness building, education and training on the
sustainable management and utilization of these solar panels for a long-term
period. 300 households across the pilot sites of Aberawan and Bagong Bayan
are targetted to be beneficiaries of the solar panel system while 12 street
lights are still to be put up in the 12 villages covered by the program. Each
household beneficiary is required to pay a local counterpart of P3,330 and a
monthly fee of P50 for maintenance.
The Spanish government has long been engaged in PRRM projects. It began
its partnership in 1993 during the implementation of the Camiguin Sustainable
Forestry project. Aside from the ENSOLAR, their other projects include
Camiguin Masterplan and Manila Bay Coastal Resource Management
Program.
Finally, Rep. Tanada defines the Ecodevelopment Tourism program as
PRRM's alternative to mainstream tourism that has often been considered a
threat more than an opportunity. PRRM has prepared tour packages which
highlight the areas rich and diverse environment and culture. These are the
Ifugao Tour, Marinduque Rural Life tour, Camiguin Volcano Island Tour, El Nido
Biodiversity Conservation Tour, Manila-Intramuros Historical-Cultural tour,
Mount Pinatubo Exposure Tour and the Bataan-Corregidor Learning Tour.
Capacity building activities were also lined up to support partner communities
and organizations interested in pursuing this type of tourism. Among these are
the Basic Ecodevelopment Tourism course, Village Participatory Rapid
Appraisal, Ecodevelopment Tourism Enterprise Planning, Ecodevelopment
Tour Operations and Management, Tour Product Design and Development,
Market Support and Linkaging, Policy Planning and Research.
Tourism Sec. Araneta expressed the department's full support for the El Nido
projects particularly the tourism development plan envisioned for the island.
She commends and supports the objective of conserving the island's unique
natural resources and subscribes to the tourism development plan envisioned
for the island.
"Palawan is the last frontier of our archipelago where the natural beauty of our
land and seas still survive in almost pristine form. It is the one place remaining
where we can prove that development and the environment allies, not rivals.
That tourism development can be sustainable and need not come at the
expense of nature," Sec. Araneta said.
She urged local officials who are responsible for the success of the tourism
industry to know their role to enable them to promote tourism for progress.
"We do not have to make an either-or choice between tourism and the
environment. We can have both. We can care for nature and people at the
same time," Araneta said.
PRRM chairman Dr. Helena Benitez believes that with the success of these
projects, they would be able to hep communities sustain themselves. "With El
Nido's precious eco-development tourism program, we want to help empower
the community people, the main stakeholders in the conservation and
preservation of these resources; to ensure that the benefits go back to them
and that their children's children will also get the benefits in an endles and
enduring future."
PRRM is a non-government organization (NGO) engaged in the design and
implementation of community and habitat development programs across the
archipelago. Founded in 1952, PRRM adopts the twin strategy of
demonstrating models of sustainable development at the local level and
working for policy reform at the national and global levels. It is organized both
as an NGO and as a membership institution with over 300 full-time and
multi-disciplinary workers. PRRM envisions a society of equity and
sustainability and is committed to being catalysts and active participants in
the attainment of a sustainable future for the country and our people.
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