Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has asked the Department of Energy to ensure the continuous delivery of electricity services in every household for students to employ alternative learning modalities while schools prepare for the “new normal” in the education system.
Gatchalian said aside from online learning, the shift to blended learning does not necessarily require students to have internet connectivity or own gadgets to access educational content. This is why the lawmaker has been advocating to tap television and radio-based instructions“Many underprivileged students living in remote areas have no electricity and they will be left behind in their studies by more socially advantaged students as well as those from private schools. The DOE should make true on its commitment of 100% electrification within the year,” Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy, has prodded the DOE to come up with strategies and roll out plans on how the agency intends to provide reliable electricity service in unserved and underserved areas.
He suggests the use of new technology, such as the microgrid systems, to provide reliable electric services to every household in the country and accelerate total electrification in areas with no electricity access, no distribution system lines, no home power systems, or no connection to any microgrid.
“Admittedly, it is challenging to reach the households and students in the last mile. We will now use new technology to reach them. The technology is there but we don’t have sufficient funds. We are now looking for ways to fund this new technology so that we can provide electricity to every student and household,” he said.