Mountain barangay gets power for 1st time

Electricity reaches 40 houses in Sitio Lobres of Cebu City’s Barangay Tagbao

At least 40 households in Sitio Lobres, Barangay Tagbao, a mountain barangay in Cebu City, now have access to electricity for the first time.

This is under the “Let there be Light” program of the city’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP), which offers free electrical services to selected households.

DWUP Operations Chief Genevieve Alcoseba told reporters on Monday that the program would prioritize the fire victims and the rural poor communities in the mountain barangays of Cebu City.

“For the first time sa kinabuhi sa mga taga Sitio Lobres in Barangay Tagbao, nakakita na gyud silag hayag. Naa na silay kaugalingon nga elektrisidad. Naa na silay mga poste didto ug hayag na inig uli nila kay napataoran man nato og daghan nga poste sa suga, (For the first time residents of Barangay Tagbao have their homes lighted. They have electric posts and they can install electricity in their homes for the first time)” she said.

“As of now, DWUP has three electricians who will render free electrical installment to households who are qualified for the program,” she added.

The first ceremonial “switch on” was held last November 17 at Sitio Lobres which is the program’s pilot area.

Alcoseba said the minimum charge from a private electrician would amount to P5,000.

But, she said, upon availing the program, a house owner would only spend P3,000 at most for the electrical materials while the labor would be free of charge.

“That’s why we are expecting and welcoming more applicants. We encourage them to avail the program so that they would not be duped because there are others who would be victimized by fixers who would charge up to P10,000 for the service,” she said.

On Monday, 30 more families had applied and availed of the program. Their applications were being processed at the city’s Office of the Building Official (OBO).

However, Alcoseba said there are still some sitios in Barangay Tagbao and Barangay Lusaran in Cebu City that still have no access to electricity mainly due to lack of road developments leading to these sitios in Cebu City’s mountain barangays.

She said that the DWUP were working on acquiring road rights of way to hasten the road developments in these areas making it possible for the city government to help provide electricity in these unlighted areas.