The Cateel microhydro project is still operational for 8 years now, but it was not anymore managed by PARAISO.

Although CARECO is already providing electricity to the residents of Barangay

Maglahus, some CARECO subscribers use electricity from hydro at the same time to economize electric expenses. Despite of the existence of the new electric provider the project still have 70 household members.

The hydro consumers can also use appliances such as refrigerator, television, radios and any other electric appliance like CARECO subscribers use because the power output generated from the hydroplant is more than enough for local consumption. As such, the power generated is 15 KW and electric consumed is only 10KW. However, the project still give useful benefits  to members even if they can’t afford to subscribe in CARECO because they still have the chance to avail electricity at low cost. Meanwhile, Jorgeson Reyes the project

technician-operator who was our respondent during the project site visit honestly told us that the hydro project is having a project management problem.

The barangay council neglected the responsibilities on the maintenance of hydro. Monthly tariff collected were not spent to where it is intended. If not for the concern of the Reyes family the hydroplant would no longer be functional. During the ocular inspection, the machine still performs very well despite of the number of years it was used, yet, the powerhouse was damaged due to old age. Jorgeson just install temporary tent as its shelter to prevent the machine from possible damage. The Reyes family and the hydro members are very hopeful to create a new management personnel who will lead the project and start to establish a good management practices to resolve the issues on operation and management.

The Magsaysay Solar Battery Charging Station was established in 2003 under the management of Baranga Magsaysay – Renewable Energy Community Development Association (BaMag-RECDA).

The electricity from solar power produced has made comfort to the residents of Magsaysay, children can study at night with a steady light. Because the association had maintained an excellent policies and management.

After 4 years of operation the project encounters no problem with regards to operation and management. Officers and members of the organization are

still intact taking

part of their responsibilities.

The association has repurchased and replaced damaged batteries of the members, aside from Barangay Magsaysay, other neighboring sitios has also availed services of the battery charging station which is an additional income of the association. Also, the management has initialized an idea to lend their members an initial capital in their corn farms as realization of their corn production initiatives . Of course, the said loan scheme is bonded with the associations rules and policies.

MAGWAWA SOLAR BATTERY CHARGING STATION

          The Magwawa Solar battery charging station is managed by the Barangay Magwawa Renewable Energy Community Development Association (BAMARECDA).

It was established in 2003 composed of 30 household members. The given project brought electricity to the lives to the residents of Magwawa, where children can study at night and the elders were entertained from transistor radios and can even sing along with karaoke. They were also been educated from the news through the radio. For the past four (4) years, the organization enjoys its success in terms of financial and organizational management. The members are still intact abiding the organizations rules and policies. Not just the people of Brgy. Magwawa enjoys the benefits and services of the battery charging station but also the neighboring barangays can access the services of the station. This makes an advantage because it brought additional income to the organization. Liza Borja who is the current president of BAMARECDA shared a success story of the organization. For the past 4 years, they managed to maintain good management practices, they were able to maintain regular meetings and re-election of officers. Their monthly tariff collection is stable and the operation and maintenance funds has been maintained and been used to replace the old expired batteries. Liza also shared their financial investment where all members enjoy the profit.

The organization decided to accept a coconut plantation “prenda”. They made a policy and scheme for the mode of payment. Every crop yield every 3 months will be divided into 2 parts, the fist part is to return the capital amount and the second part is to be divided to the members who are assigned to receive on the certain date of harvest. During the interview Liza said that almost of the members already have their share and the amount invested has been returned. Presently, the organization planned to put up a “Botika ng Barangay” from the organizations Capital Build Up, where medicines be sold at a very low price which is not only the people of Magwawa can benefit but also the neighboring barangays.

          The electric provider is about to reach Brgy. Magwawa and the organization is worried what is going to happen to the association, they were very hopeful that Yamog can help them to make alternate project out of the charging station. They recommend to help them to put up a Solar Water Pumping Station where water is also scarce in their barangay. Liza said, through the years of their use of the charging station life makes easier for them.

Community-based Renewable Energy Systems to Improve Livelihood and the Quality of Life in Mindanao, Philippines

It is reflected in the Philippine Power Development Plan for 2005 to 2014 that there will be a power shortfall in the country if the government cannot put up more power generating plants within the next years. The PDP likewise emphasizes the insufficient allocation particularly for Mindanao which is expected to increase its consumption in the coming years, with the opening and re-opening of businesses there.

This means that people living in villages, especially in the southern grid of Mindanao, who have never experienced convenience in electricity may have to wait way longer.

However, the Yamog Renewable Energy Devt. Group, Inc. decided that two villages in Bukidnon and South Cotabato would only have to cooperate to stop the wait. In particular, Brgy. Dumalaguing in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon; Sitio Tablo in Brgy. Lemdalag, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato were the chosen beneficiaries of a micro-hydropower Project. Meanwhile the B’laan households of Sitio Amgu-o in Brgy. Landan,  Polomolok, South Cotabato availed of water system using solar power to pump the water up to the community for potable water.

This micro-hydropower project, which runs March 2006- August 2008, has helped 375 households or 1,875 indigenous people in the aforementioned villages to enhance their own livelihood opportunities and income generation. With the apparent shift in energy use pattern from petrol-based kerosene to electricity, the people now enjoyed better lighting conditions.

While the children were able to extend their study hours up nighttime, the elderly could now mill corn in the nearby facilities anytime of the day without enduring long distances. The milling facility for corn, rice and coffee, which consumes 25KW of micro-hydro power, improved working conditions for the farmers. “The multipurpose milling allows our community members to have our products milled in the community. Before, we used to mill our corn and rice in the commercial mill, about eight kilometers away and we spend for the transportation and the milling cost. So we are very thankful…” says Datu Mimi, a Higaonon and Chairman of the Dumalaguing Tribal Asssociation.

Moreover the T’boli women loom weavers can now increase their outputs because of extended productivity. Hilda Ugay, a T’boli expert on traditional loom weaving says that before electricity came to them, she could only weave during daytime. But now, she can weave and be more productive during night time.

And because they now have easy access to potable water (from the solar water pumping system), everyone was unburdened of daily fetching of water from the spring. The households can now utilize their own potable water for drinking, cooking and bathing from the installed pumping system right at the heart of the community through a network of eight tap stands. The women can now wash clothes more conveniently. And more importantly, sanitation and reduction of water borne-diseases especially affecting the children can now be expected to lessen.

On the Solar Water Pumping Project in Sitio Amguo, Landan, Polomolok, South Cotabato, “I am very happy that the water is here.  Many thanks to God…that he sends Yamog as an instrument so that our long time dream of having water climb up here from the source became a reality. Thanks to the Green Empowerment, and the Global Village Energy Partnership International for their kind assistance,” expressed an elderly Mrs. Sandag who is an active member of the local organization.

One of the key features of this cooperation micro-hydropower project by Yamog, the KAANIB Foundation, Inc. and the LAYAG Health and Women Development is that sustainability is ensured by training the locals to become capable of running the facilities themselves as well as financially contributing to the operations and maintenance of the system to sustain the project. While it is the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme and the GVEP International GAP Fund who are major guarantors of the project (estimated 70% of total funding), the LGUs (10%), the community counterpart (10%), and individual households (5-10%) also pay their part in the realization of the project.

Moreover, sustainability is ensured as the micro-hydropower facilities can be considered an income-generating project. All the identified beneficiary communities increase their capacity, not only to better life conditions, but on earning cash through the opportunities brought about by the project.

The proponent and partner groups as well as the households are also inspired to cooperate and prioritize the project. Hence, the whole community and the LGUs are all empowered in taking in the project and in believing in the integrity it brings to them as people.

“You are not only bringing water to this village – which is an essential improvement in our living conditions; you are restoring our pride by showing that people from far away care about their condition – even though our government doesn’t,” expressed Pastor Nonobert Malit, the Project coordinator and a respected tribal leader in Sitio Amguo.

On the other hand, the main challenge has already begun and a major part of it has been overcome. Particularly, the communities have been able to building a broader sense of community ownership through their sincere participation -- from the project conceptualization through the evaluation. The community played a key role in building the plant and the agricultural processing facilities, investing considerable amount of materials, time and effort.

This project will be replicated and will serve as a model in developing other potential community-based micro-hydro power projects, and help in strengthening the Mindanao Renewable Energy Network as a coalition of renewable energy partners in terms of policy and advocacy and of enhancing sustainability – in attaining a wider impact on sustainable power supply generation all throughout the humble villages of Mindanao.

Yamog Renewable Energy Development Group, Inc. has implemented about ten (10) community based micro hydropower systems with majority of these are engaged in productive end uses aside from household electrification. It has also implemented a photo voltaic battery charging systems in Mindanao in partnership with the PO’s and NGO’s and private groups in the off grid areas of Mindanao.