The Department of Energy and the Manila Electric Co. has provided electricity to more than 5,000 households of indigent families and informal settlers under its electrification program.
The partnership has supplied power to a total of 5,263 households in Gaya-Gaya in San Jose del Monte and other municipalities in Bulacan, Laguna and some parts of Rizal, and in Happy Land Aroma, Baseco Compound, Isla Puting Bato and Parola in Tondo, Manila to date.
The department said these households had to meet all the legal and financial requirements to get access to electricity.
“By helping indigent families secure legal electrical connections, the DoE together with the help of distribution utilities can further reduce the risk of fire hazards, which may be caused by the illegal use of electricity,” the department said.
The department urged local officials and leaders to get more actively involved in ensuring safe legal power connections that will enable the cities and municipalities to earn more revenues from delivering better services to the people.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Meralco discussed issues and concerns encountered by the utility, such as right-of-way, various ongoing construction works, peace and order, and other barriers to the immediate energization of target communities.
After their initial meeting last July 7, some 2,082 households were connected under combined regular service and pre-paid electricity service schemes for the new household connections.
Cusi and Meralco president Oscar Reyes vowed to help provide people living below the poverty line access to electricity.