BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—Resident of remote villages of Negros Occidental now have electricity to run rice, corn and coffee mills to process their crops, to provide lights for their children to study at night, and to watch television to keep abreast with what’s happening elsewhere.

This was made possible by 14 renewable energy and livelihood projects worth $1.5 million funded by a grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction that was managed by the Asian Development Bank. The projects have finally been completed.

Last Friday, these projects were formally turned over to participating communities at rites held at the provincial capitol in Bacolod City.

Yongping Zhai, of the Asian Development Bank, turned over to Gov. Isidro Zayco the 14 Renewable Energy and Livelihood Development for the Urban Poor in Negros Occidental (Renew) projects implemented by Winrock International.

Turnover

They were then, in turn, handed over to the participating communities, who launched the Renewable Energy and Livelihood Development Foundation to ensure the sustainability of their livelihood programs, said Jim Orprecio, Winrock International project director.

The projects have so far benefited about 2,000 families, Orprecio said.

A revolving fund of $350,000 will also be turned over to the foundation for the continued implementation of livelihood projects in the communities, he added.

The livelihood loans that residents can avail themselves of are for multi-function mills, vegetable farming, backyard animal-raising, trading, handicrafts-making, grains processing and marketing, marine products processing and marketing, he said.

Less poverty

The goal of Renew is to reduce poverty by providing and promoting the efficient use of sustainable, renewable energy supply to promote livelihood systems for poor local communities in off-grid areas, he added.

Turned over Friday were three micro-hydro systems meant to boost agriculture-based livelihoods in the sitio (sub-village) of Balea, Barangay La-gaan in the town of Calatrava, in Barangay Baclao, Cauayan, and sitios Vergara and Magtuod in Toboso.

The other projects are hybrid renewable energy systems that use biomass and solar power for fish drying that were set up in the island communities of Sipaway, San Carlos City and Sagay City; hydraulic ram pump systems in Cauayan and Murcia towns, Kabankalan City and Himamaylan City; a solar lantern-charging station in Sagay City; and two hydropower systems in Murcia and Cauayan.

The Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation Inc. is handling the implementation and management of the Renew Fund, Orprecio said.