By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Wednesday that about 3.1 million Filipinos in 759 insurgency-cleared barangays have benefitted from rural electrification projects funded under the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) from 2022 to 2025.
In a statement, the DILG said 463 rural electrification projects have brought power to remote communities through on-grid connections and off-grid solar solutions in the past three years.
“Streets that were once unlit now have light. Homes that relied on lamps now have electricity. Barangays that used to shut down at sundown are now open to opportunity,” it said.
The DILG said electricity has changed lives in Barangay Banwague in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, and allowed residents to run small businesses, sell frozen goods, and stay connected through Wi-Fi services.
“For communities nearly 30 km away from the city proper, access to power has meant access to income and dignity,” it said.
Solar streetlights installed in Barangay Bikil, Tubungan, Iloilo have eased daily travel and strengthened community security.
The DILG quoted barangay leaders as saying that electrification has not only brought light but also livelihood, safety, and hope, especially during the Christmas season when families seek both celebration and stability.
The agency said more than 300 additional SBDP rural electrification projects are in various stages of implementation.
Beyond power, the SBDP also funds schools, water systems, health stations, farm-to-market roads, housing, and agricultural facilities in geographically isolated and conflict-affected areas.
The SBDP is a flagship program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s whole-of-nation approach to lasting peace and inclusive development.
“For the DILG, every light switched on is a step away from conflict and a step closer to a better life for Filipino communities,” it said.
