South Korea company installs more street lights in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – A stretch of a major thoroughfare in Manila brightened on Monday night as 50 solar-powered street lamps were switched on during a blessing ceremony.

Installed along España Boulevard from Antipolo to Blumentritt Streets, the lampposts, which are equipped with closed-circuit television cameras and LED signboards, were additional units to the street lamps initially set up along Rajah Sulayman in Malate last month.

The project is a joint undertaking of the city of Manila and the South Korean firm Global Goldgoal Inc., a multinational company engaged in renewable energy projects under a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement to light up the six districts of the city using solar-powered lights in the next two years.

Under the project, the Korean company is to donate a total of 10,000 solar-powered street lights costing P2.2 billion, to the city government. The streetlights, which cost P300,000 each and are expected to last for about 50 years,  represent Manila’s “commitment to harness renewable energy sources for the city’s electricity needs.” According to the city government, this project will pave the way for greater environmental awareness as well as significantly reduced electricity costs.

Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito signed an agreement with Global Goldgoal Inc. in September last year with the hope of cutting down the city’s P18-million monthly electric consumption and easing the burden of paying its current P600-million unpaid electric bill.

The mayor and Global Goldgoal Inc. chair James Lee led the lighting and blessing of the second batch of street lamps.

Speaking before a crowd of Sampaloc residents gathered at the corner of España Boulevard and Blumentritt Street, Estrada said that he hoped the city’s vitality would be restored with the project.

“Magliliwanag na po ang buong Maynila, hindi na madilim,” said the mayor, who made his listeners laugh when he stressed the last syllable of his statement to refer to former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, whom Estrada defeated in last year’s election.

Estrada said that Manila would again be the center of trade and commerce when all  the street lights are installed in the city.

Ike Gutierrez, Estrada’s spokesperson, told the Inquirer that the project first targeted commercial districts.

“But in the coming months, more units will be placed on Blumentritt and P. Sanchez. Before the year ends, we will also to put up street lights in Quiapo, Ermita and Malate,” Gutierrez added.

The spokesperson noted that the installation of the solar-powered lights would be at no cost at all to the city. He noted that Global Goldcoast Inc. will also take care of the maintenance and security of the street lamps.

“Patrol cars of the Korean firm will check on the posts daily,” Gutierrez said.

In exchange for the donated street lights, the Korean company will be allowed to enter into advertising agreements with other companies in the LED signboards installed on the street lights.

Last year, city information officer Diego Cagahastian said that the advertisement materials placed on the LED boards should be in line with the green agenda of the city.

Gutierrez said that the posts have backup electric power systems to supply alternate power in case of continuous rain for days in the city and the posts cannot generate any solar power.

He noted that a command center will also be set up at City Hall to monitor video captured by the CCTV cameras installed on the lampposts  which Gutierrez said will also greatly aid in the anti-criminality campaign of the city.

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