BUTUAN CITY – The electrification program of the national government continues to benefit far-flung communities, and this time about 3,153 households in the province of Agusan del Norte, and the cities of Butuan and Cabadbaran were also energized.

The National Electrification Administration (NEA), which is tasked to oversee the Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) of the national government, is supervising electric cooperatives in energizing the remaining 36,000 sitios across the country.

As this developed, the national government is allocating at least R36 billion to energize the sitios throughout the country.

In an interview yesterday, Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative (Aneco) general manager Architect Horacio T. Santos said about 2,086 connections were already installed in some 109 far-flung sitios in Agusan del Norte, and in the cities of Butuan and Cabadbaran since 2011.

Santos said at least R81,999,400.36 was already released under the SEP project for 2011 and 2012.

“This year, Aneco is targeting 49 more far-flung sitios in the province of Agusan del Norte, and in the cities of Butuan and Cabadbaran wherein about 1,275 households are set to benefit from this SEP project,” said Santos, who is also the president of the electric cooperatives in Northeastern Mindanao that are also separately implementing the SEP of the national government.

Under the budget of the SEP, at least P62,600,421.65 is being allocated this year for Agusan del Norte, and the cities of Butuan and Cabadbaran.

Under this program, households are provided with free house wiring, 30 meters of service drop wire, a one-kilowatt hour meter, a main switch, two separate switches, and the 1-3gang convenience outlet.

Local government unit (LGU) officials, particularly the residents living in far-flung communities that already benefited under the program, expressed their gratitude to the Aneco in energizing their communities, which according to them is “the first time in their life to have light.”