Electricity is more than just a convenience; it is essential for modern living. It powers our homes, our work, and our education. Without it, simple tasks become difficult, and opportunities for growth and development are limited.
This was the reality for the residents of Barangay Bairan, a secluded village tucked away in the hills of Naga City, Cebu. Bairan is situated far from the bustling city center, accessible only through rugged, dusty roads that wind through the countryside.
The transformative power of electricity is clear in the stories of every resident, including Analou Obaob.
43-year-old Analou Obaob is a Barangay Health Worker (BHW) in Barangay Bairan, Naga City.
Analou Obaob, a 43-year-old Barangay Health Worker (BHW), resides in Barangay Bairan along with her husband and three children. For close to a decade, Analou has been committed to serving her community, tirelessly working to safeguard the health and well-being of her fellow residents.
As a Barangay Health Worker, Analou’s responsibilities encompass a wide range of tasks aimed at promoting community health. She conducts regular visits to households, diligently gathers crucial health-related data, and delivers essential health services to those in need.
Day in and day out, Analou dedicates herself to ensuring that her neighbors have access to the care and support they require to lead healthy lives. However, despite her dedication, Analou, along with her family and countless others in Bairan, encountered a significant obstacle: the absence of electricity.
Analou Obaob’s struggle before electricity
Analou reflected on the days before their home had electricity and shared the difficulties they faced. She explained that without electricity, they had to find ways to work, especially because they had young children. Safety was always a concern, so Analou would put a lamp inside a bucket to prevent accidents while moving around their dimly lit home.
“Sa katong wala pay kuryente, mangita gyud mi paagi nga kanang maka trabaho gyud mi samot na naay batang gamay,” she said.
[Back when there was still no electricity, we needed to find a way to work, especially since we have a child.]
For years, she struggled to do work with just a kerosene lamp as a source of light.
The lack of reliable light affected every aspect of their lives. For Analou, it resulted in difficulties completing paperwork for her job, as she often had to work by the dim light of a kerosene lamp. Her children also found it challenging to study, as they constantly feared that a gust of wind could extinguish their only source of light. This made focusing and learning extremely difficult for them.
“Lisod kaayo ang walay kuryente kay dili gyud ka kalihok-lihok kaayo unya akong mga bata dili sad katuon gyud og tarung kay og maghangin hangin, mapalong man ang lamparilla so need gyud mag bantay,” Analou shared.
[It’s really difficult to move around without electricity, and even my child can’t study properly, especially when it’s windy, because it can blow the light out, so we need to be on guard.]
Despite their appeals to the local barangay, obtaining electricity was a challenge. “Dili sayon baya ang pagtaod og kuryente samot na diri sa amoa ato kay walay saktong dalan,” Analou explained.
[It is not easy to install electricity here in our area, given that there is still no proper road.]
The absence of proper roads made it almost impossible to extend electrical lines to their home. Furthermore, the expenses involved in processing required documents and purchasing appliances compounded their challenges, making the prospect of having a well-lit home seem distant.
Analou’s journey with AboitizPower and Visayan Electric
Born and raised in Bairan, Analou has experienced a life characterized by resilience and hope. Her family’s home had never experienced the convenience of electricity. But all that changed when the Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) reached Barangay Bairan in December 2023.
Through Visayan Electric, an AboitizPower subsidiary and the country’s second largest electric utility, the unlit sitio of Barangay Bairan, Naga City in Cebu was fully energized.
The Sitio Electrification Program or SEP is a national government project, which helps connect far-flung areas like Barangay Bairan to electrical grids of distribution utilities. It is one of the government’s priority programs for economic development and poverty reduction by aiming for 100 percent electrification of the Philippines.
They were among the fortunate households to be electrified by the Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) through their electric power distribution utility, Visayan Electric Company, Inc. Visayan Electric is the second largest electric utility in the Philippines. It serves the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay, Naga, and the municipalities of Liloan, Consolacion, Minglanilla, and San Fernando.
Through the efforts of AboitizPower and Visayan Electric, Analou’s home was finally lit up.
“Natabangan gyud mi. Pag abot sa kuryente diri sa amo, nag plano plano nami sugod,” Analou said.
[They were really able to help us. When the light arrived, we were able to plan the necessary things.]
Analou lives a simple life but dreams to one day have household appliances to better their living circumstances.
Despite still lacking appliances, the mere presence of light has improved their daily lives. They no longer need to wake up at 4 a.m. or 5 in the morning to finish chores before darkness sets in. Now, Analou and her family can operate well into the night. The electricity allows her to work more efficiently after sunset and her children to engage in uninterrupted study sessions.
“Dako gyud importansya ang kuryente kay og unsay imo buhaton makalihok na gyud ka,” she said.
[Having electricity is really of great importance, as it allows you to move on whatever you need to work on.]
The Impact of electricity on Analou’s family and community
The electricity brought Analou’s family closer and rekindled happiness in their household.
The difference electricity has made for Analou’s family is huge. She explained that electricity is really important because it lets them do things more easily. Now they can do tasks whenever they need to, not just during the day. This means they can get more done and have a better routine. With electricity in their home, life is much simpler and they can do things on their own schedule.
The smiles painted on the faces of Analou and her family resemble the meaningful change electricity brought to their family.
For Analou, the light that now fills her home symbolizes more than just convenience; it represents hope for a better future. She dreams of one day owning a TV to stay informed about current events, especially during typhoons, when timely information can be life-saving.
“Dako kaayo ko og pasalamat [AboitizPower and Visayan Electric] kay naka kuryente nami karon,” Analou expressed.
[I’m thankful to AboitizPower and Visayan Electric because we have electricity now.]
The transformative power of light in Barangay Bairan through AboitizPower and Visayan Electric
With AboitizPower’s promise to the community—to bring electricity and change lives—their efforts go beyond just building infrastructure. They touch lives, bringing hope and progress to communities in need.
Visayan Electric President and COO Raul C. Lucero said, “We believe that electricity brings progress to an area and Visayan Electric, being Cebu’s electricity provider since 1905, is committed to bring progress to the communities we serve. We have been and will always be Cebu’s partner in progress.”
The power of light goes beyond simply seeing—it sparks dreams, drives progress, and makes things possible.
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