NAVAL, Biliran – Despite having already energized 130 out of the 132 barangays in this province, Biliran Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BILECO) has identified 13 more sitios to be energized in the next five years.
The sitios include Magtaran-an of barangay Talustusan and Comonal of barangay Imelda of Naval and Canumay of barangay Baso in Cabucgayan town, which are all scheduled for 2006.
Sitios Atay of barangay Kawayanon and Anislag of barangay Asug of Caibiran, along with Barantayan in barangay Villaconsuelo of Naval will have power in 2007.
For 2008, the following sitios are set to be energized— Capatagan and Palayan of barangay Caucab in Almeria and Libtong Gamay of barangay Libtong of Naval in 2008 and Tigbao of barangay Balaquid of Cabucgayan, Biliran town in 2009.
Former congressman and now Naval Mayor Gerardo S. Espina Sr. allocated a substantial portion of his Countryside Development Fund (CDF) to BILECO in support of its rural electrification.
In the State-of-the-Province Address (SOPA) of Governor Rogelio J. Espina during the 13th founding anniversary of Biliran province, BILECO was commended for the improved and wise utilization of material and human resources, which resulted in the speedy energization of six sitios with a budget allocation for three sitios only.
With the enactment of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (RA 9136), all key players of the electric power industry are tasked to ensure and accelerate the total electrification of the country.
This program will be realized through the continuing support of the national government by means of grants and subsidies as these sitios are non-viable.
Likewise, generating equity from the local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and even from civic-minded individuals are important in achieving the objective of providing electricity to remote habitation sites.
BILECO management has also appealed to generous private citizens who are willing to help assist in laying power lines to the sitios not reached by electricity.
In line with the plan of BILECO to pursue its rural electrification program, the electric utility is planning to rehabilitate and upgrade its facilities such as the reconditioning and recommissioning in 2006 of the 3.15 MVA sub-station power transformer and the construction of two H-frames structures for the 69 KV and 13.2 KV to augment the high demand for electricity of member-consumers in the province.
BILECO management is planning to avail of a loan in the amount of
P5 million from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) in order to upgrade special equipment and support facilities in compliance with the standards set by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on the distribution utilities. 
