Palawan ethnic group gains access to water via solar power

MANILA  -The social development arm of distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has energized a water distribution facility in El Nido, Palawan with solar power, allowing access to sustainable water supply for more than 300 households.

One Meralco Foundation (OMF) said the 8-kilowatt-peak solar PV system would power the Acosta water pumping station, which caters mostly to the Cuyunon ethnic group in Barangay Sibaltan.

“One Meralco Foundation’s mission is to really bring the benefits of electrification, especially to remote and marginalized communities like Barangay Sibaltan,” OMF president Jeffrey Tarayao said in a statement on Friday.

Prior to the energization of the water pumping station, Barangay Sibaltan had intermittent water supply, according to Rene Acosta, head of El Nido’s Municipal Economic Enterprises and Development Office (Meedo).

The facility had relied on diesel generators for power, resulting in water service interruptions in the area. These limited daily activities and livelihood, which include fishing and agricultural farming.

It likewise translated to higher operating costs for Meedo and the community, OMF said.

Acosta explained high fuel prices also restricted operations, as they had to get fuel from mainland Palawan.

“On days without fuel supply, we also do not have [water supply]. Now we can operate our pumping station by using solar [panels],” he said.

Acosta noted the solar power project had helped El Nido save around 400 liters worth of diesel expenses and distribute 4,300 cubic meters of water to hundreds of households.

The project is part of OMF’s water access electrification program, launched in 2022, that aims to help meet the power requirements of water-related programs in off-grid communities. INQ