SOLARES Conducts Courtesy Calls to Select Barangays in Maasim, Sarangani

On April 29-30, 2019, the SOLARES project team visited selected barangays with potential households beneficiaries at Maa,sim for a courtesy call; these were Kamanga, Bales, Kablacan, Amsipit, Lumatil, Nomoh, Lumasal, Kanalo, and Panang. The team gave prior notice regarding the household survey, validation, and project orientation in the different sitios or puroks of the selected areas starting on May 2, 2019.

All barangays conveyed their support to the project and allowed the team along with the enumerators to conduct profiling in their respective sitios/puroks.

SOLARES Project Takes Part in Kiamba ABC Meeting for Project Orientation

SOLARES project staff, led by SOLARES Project Manager, Mr. Jobe Tubigon along with SOCOTECOII SBU representative, Mr. John Tindoy, joined the ABC meeting in Kiamba attended by barangay captains of Kiamba, Sarangani Province.

After the presentation of the SOLARES Project to the ABC committee, Mr. Tindoy demonstrated and explained the basic operation of the Solar Home System (SHS) unit to the barangay captains which includes the charging, capacity, loading system and the maintenance of the SHS unit. He also added that the project beneficiaries will automatically become members of SOCOTECO II and are entitled to all the benefits provided by the electronic cooperative.

One of the barangay captains, Capt. Melanie Balanag raised a concern if the households along the coastal areas can also avail of the SHS unit due to the on-grid electrification prohibited by SOCOTECO II along that area. Mr. Tindoy explained the concerns of an on-grid electrification along the coast which includes soil quality and the risks of electrocution. He will be raising the said issue at their own staff meeting.

Barangay captains of Kiamba, Sarangani Province gave a positive response in the SHS Project. They will provide assistance to help in project implementation.

In the afternoon, the team headed to Maasim, Sarangani Province. The project was briefly introduced and demonstrated to ABC President, Alladin Tambingag and to Maasim Mayor, Uttoh Salem Cutan.

Mayor Cutan was very positive about the project especially on the project’s livelihood component. He discussed how far-flung barangays in Maasim would greatly benefit, Maasim farmers have to haul and process their products within the municipality proper  because of the lack of processing equipment and electricity on the remote barangays.

SOLARES Conduct Courtesy Calls in MLGUs Kiamba & Maitum and PAMULCO

On March 22, 2019, the SOLARES project staff visited Kiamba, Sarangani to meet and discuss with MLGU Kiamba. The SOLARES team introduced the project including the project framework and the target beneficiaries, 10 barangays and tentatively 680 target households within Kiamba.

Councilor Jeric Santillana mentioned that a previous project with SOCOTECOII and the government, failed to continue due to issues in land permit and right of way. Unfortunately, households in Datu Dani already paid for the said service. Posts, cables, and all other necessary materials were procured but the project was put to a halt.

Mr. Antonio Yasana mentioned that most barangays in Kiamba are already energized; he provided a list of possible beneficiaries including households in Nalus, Green Valley, Badtasan, Banate and Salakit. Mr. Yasana also invited the team to the Kiamba ABC meeting on April 1, 2019 to further introduce SOLARES to the barangay captains and gauge their interests on the project.

SB Secretary and KIMEMCO Chairperson, Ms. Jane Rojas expressed interest in the project and was pleased that Kiamba was chosen as one of the beneficiaries. Due to her interest in Tableau, which is a software for interactive data visualizations, it was agreed that Mahintana would introduce Tableau to the cooperative, in return, they would share their CBMS file which will aid the project in determining viable beneficiaries.

On the afternoon of the same day, the team headed off to Maitum, Sarangani to meet with the LGUs and discuss/introduce the project to them.

At Maitum on the same day, Maitum MLGOO Mr. Rodolfo Jerez mentioned that the project will be helpful in the remote areas of Maitum, especially in Batian and Zion. It could improve the quality of life in the areas. He expressed his willingness to help Mahintana Foundation, Inc. in any way he can.

Maitum Municipal Administrator Mr. Ruben Balanag was also pleased that Maitum was one of the beneficiaries of the project, reaching about 890 households. He welcomed Mahintana to Maitum and added that he can offer police assistance to Mahintana when conducting site visits.