The amount accrued from collections based on the mandate of Energy Regulations 1-94; which prescribes a P0.01 per kilowatt hour (kWh) share of the communities hosting power projects from the energy sales of the project sponsor-firms.

The allocation would be that 50 percent of the P0.01/kWh collection will cover electrification projects; 25 percent would be treated as development and livelihood fund; and 25 percent for reforestation, watershed management, health and environmental protection initiatives.

As could be gleaned from DoE documents, the biggest chunk of P1.7 billion went to missionary electrification projects; P1.38 billion for reforestation and watershed management programs and P1.10 billion for livelihood ventures.

The beneficiaries of the program are the communities hosting the generating facilities and/or energy resource, such as barangays, host municipality or city, host province and host region.

Such benefits can be availed of by the specified host communities through the filing of application for proposed projects; and the fund allocation will come after subsequent approval by the energy department.

The DoE noted that this program, in collaboration with the private sector, enabled the government to extend funding for at least 1,993 projects as of last year.

Energy officials are sounding off that they are still hopeful of achieving 100 percent electrification of barangays nationwide by 2008.

As of October last year, about 38,995 barangays have already been energized out of the 41,940 all over the country. Such level of electrification, it was noted, translate to about 92.98 percent of the target.

It was culled that Luzon has the highest electrification level with 96.86 percent or 19,832 electrified barangays; while Visayas came in second at 93.51percent level of electrification or 10,699 barangays.

Mindanao, on the other hand, was reported to have the lowest level of electrification at 84.41 percent or 8,464 barangays.

From project profiles, however, it could be observed that resources are gradually being apportioned for Mindanao, including those areas which are considered to be conflict-stricken.

Away from the host communities of power projects, the DoE is also giving prime attention to the electrification of the so-called ‘unviable areas’ or those that have been isolated or too remote to be connected to the grid.

Through a DoE Circular it issued, the prescription would be to tap a qualified third party (QTP) which will inject much-needed resources for the so-called waived areas. (MMV)