LEGAZPI CITY, Nov. 20 (PIA) – Gone were the days for some 100 rural households in Visita village of San Miguel Island in Tabaco City, Albay that the setting of the sun marked the end of work, good studying condition for children, and other activities that could have maximize their productivity.
The Junior Chamber International, Inc. local chapters of Daraga and Legazpi, in cooperation with St. Agnes Academy Class of 1973, Armed Forces of the Philippines units based in Albay, and One Million Lights Philippines, will donate 100 units of solar powered lamps and kit for recharging of cellular phone under the banner of “Project Liwanag” to these identified 100 households on Saturday, Nov. 23.
“Saturday evening and days ahead would be different for these households that akin to others with access to electricity these families would just simply turn on the switch of their solar powered lighting and recharging kits to maximize their activity that can ultimately have an impact on increasing productivity and uplifting the quality of life of rural communities,” JCI Daraga president and “Project Liwanag” chair Isabel Reynoso said Wednesday during the “Ugnayan sa Bikol” radio program of Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
Also, Reynoso noted that without access to electricity, most of these households need to rely on costly kerosene lamp, candles or other indigenous source for lighting.
“Kerosene lamps are inefficient and dangerous. Toxic fumes from kerosene cause respiratory illness and the lamps, alike candles, can tip over and burn someone or ignite the house or surroundings,” she said.
She stressed that a solar powered lamp is a clean and renewable source of lighting that is efficient, effective and better for the environment.
Reynoso explained that with this solar-powered lamps and kits, the user only needs to expose the solar panel under the sun for maximum 5 hours to charge the battery and can enjoy the lights for 10-12 hours.
The households will be responsible for the utilization and maintenance, while a monitoring team will be organized among village officials to check and report on the state of the equipment if repairs or replacement of parts is necessary.
“I am optimistic that the beneficiaries will take care of them as their own in order to maximize the benefits of the equipment that can last up to 10 years,” she said.
While 100 solar powered lamps and kits will not totally resolve the energy access issue in remote villages, each solar light donated will have a positive impact to the likes of more effective light and studying conditions for children, better lighting conditions while cooking at night, increase in economic activity at night by allowing small stores with lights to stay open later, enhance productivity of household-based industry.
“We also hope that solar powered lamps replacing kerosene lights will reduce fire hazards from kerosene fuel and help reduce environmental pollution,” Reynoso said.
JCI has partnered with the One Million Lights Philippines to help beef up awareness drive for the need for safe and healthy lighting in communities especially among far-flung areas.
Safe and healthy solar lighting saves lives and money providing these families the opportunity to give priority to other essentials like food, clothing, medicines, school tuitions, among others that when they otherwise could not.
In Albay, the project is piloted in Visita village of San Miguel Island in Tabaco City and once successful can be also replicated in other similar areas in the province to help households even go off grid for their electricity needs using environmental friendly and healthful alternatives.
With the help of the project rainbow partners, JCI will also provide medical and dental services such as prophylaxis, tooth extraction and physical exam for the locales that are scarce at best or unavailable in the island. (MAL/ILReynoso-JCI Daraga/PIA5Albay)
The Junior Chamber International, Inc. local chapters of Daraga and Legazpi, in cooperation with St. Agnes Academy Class of 1973, Armed Forces of the Philippines units based in Albay, and One Million Lights Philippines, will donate 100 units of solar powered lamps and kit for recharging of cellular phone under the banner of “Project Liwanag” to these identified 100 households on Saturday, Nov. 23.
“Saturday evening and days ahead would be different for these households that akin to others with access to electricity these families would just simply turn on the switch of their solar powered lighting and recharging kits to maximize their activity that can ultimately have an impact on increasing productivity and uplifting the quality of life of rural communities,” JCI Daraga president and “Project Liwanag” chair Isabel Reynoso said Wednesday during the “Ugnayan sa Bikol” radio program of Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
Also, Reynoso noted that without access to electricity, most of these households need to rely on costly kerosene lamp, candles or other indigenous source for lighting.
“Kerosene lamps are inefficient and dangerous. Toxic fumes from kerosene cause respiratory illness and the lamps, alike candles, can tip over and burn someone or ignite the house or surroundings,” she said.
She stressed that a solar powered lamp is a clean and renewable source of lighting that is efficient, effective and better for the environment.
Reynoso explained that with this solar-powered lamps and kits, the user only needs to expose the solar panel under the sun for maximum 5 hours to charge the battery and can enjoy the lights for 10-12 hours.
The households will be responsible for the utilization and maintenance, while a monitoring team will be organized among village officials to check and report on the state of the equipment if repairs or replacement of parts is necessary.
“I am optimistic that the beneficiaries will take care of them as their own in order to maximize the benefits of the equipment that can last up to 10 years,” she said.
While 100 solar powered lamps and kits will not totally resolve the energy access issue in remote villages, each solar light donated will have a positive impact to the likes of more effective light and studying conditions for children, better lighting conditions while cooking at night, increase in economic activity at night by allowing small stores with lights to stay open later, enhance productivity of household-based industry.
“We also hope that solar powered lamps replacing kerosene lights will reduce fire hazards from kerosene fuel and help reduce environmental pollution,” Reynoso said.
JCI has partnered with the One Million Lights Philippines to help beef up awareness drive for the need for safe and healthy lighting in communities especially among far-flung areas.
Safe and healthy solar lighting saves lives and money providing these families the opportunity to give priority to other essentials like food, clothing, medicines, school tuitions, among others that when they otherwise could not.
In Albay, the project is piloted in Visita village of San Miguel Island in Tabaco City and once successful can be also replicated in other similar areas in the province to help households even go off grid for their electricity needs using environmental friendly and healthful alternatives.
With the help of the project rainbow partners, JCI will also provide medical and dental services such as prophylaxis, tooth extraction and physical exam for the locales that are scarce at best or unavailable in the island. (MAL/ILReynoso-JCI Daraga/PIA5Albay)
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