PTTC, Pasay City
02 August 2012

President Benigno S. Aquino III led the ceremonial switch-on of sitios under the Sitio Electrification Program of the Department of Energy, Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. and the National Electrification Administration during the 33rd Annual General Membership Meeting of PHILRECA at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City.

In his keynote speech, President Aquino said he is confident that the government, with the help of electric cooperatives, will achieve its target of energizing more than 6,000 sitios by the end of the year. From October 2011 to July this year, a total of almost 2,400 sitios were electrified.

“Hindi dito nagtatapos ang tungkulin natin: mas marami pa tayong kayang gawin, mas marami pa tayong dapat gawin…patuloy tayong maghahanap ng paraan upang sa lalong madaling panahon, maging fully electrified na ang buong bansa.”

The President lauded the efforts of PHILRECA, a 119-electric cooperative member organization, in working to get the remaining household areas in the country electrified.

“Hindi lamang masusukat sa ilaw ng bumbilya, o sa ihip ng bentilador ang ambag ninyo, dahil ang katumbas ng inyong pagsisikap ay edukasyon para sa mga kabataan, paglago ng negosyo’t kabuhayan, at pagkakataon para umangat ang buhay ng mga nasa kanayunan.”

President Aquino also announced more good news for PHILRECA and was loudly applauded.

“Dahil oras na maipatupad ang NEA Reform Bill, hindi na maikakalag sa usaping pulitikal ang mga kooperatiba dahil ipagbabawal nang maging kasapi ng board of directors ang mga kapamilya o kamag-anak ng mga nahalal o nahirang na opisyal ng pamahalaan,” he said.

An AVP of testimonials from sitio beneficiaries from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao was also shown during the event.

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