ILOILO PROVINCE – The Department of Energy – Renewable Energy Management Bureau (DOE-REMB), led by Director Mylene C. Capongcol, together with the Development for Renewable Energy Applications Market Mainstreaming and Sustainability (DREAMS) Project team met with officials from the Municipalities of Carles, Concepcion and Ajuy, and the Board and Management of IIoilo III Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ILECO III) on 14 August 2019 to discuss planned partnerships to facilitate the provision of electricity services through renewable energy (RE) technologies to remaining unserved and underserved areas. 

The partnerships will be facilitated under the DREAMS Project, which is a collaboration among the DOE, United Nations Development Programme and Global Environment Facility.

Director Capongcol stressed that the DREAMS Project will work with ILECO III and the three local government units to integrate local RE policies and projects in the three-year Comprehensive Development Plan and Annual Investment Plan of the three municipalities, and the Distribution Development Plan of ILECO III. 

ILECO III’s franchise area covers 13 municipalities with a total of 87,800 households. Only 76% of these households have access to power services. Electrification rates in the target areas are as follows: Carles at 55%, Concepcion at 54%, and Ajuy at 90%. Despite having an electrification rate of 90%, Ajuy was still included since its unserved areas are upland communities with potential hydropower sources. 

Ajuy Municipal Mayor Jett C. Rojas pledged PhP 5 million to facilitate the installation of solar energy in their town hall. In addition, the local government units requested for DOE’s technical assistance in assessing available RE sources in their respective towns. 

DREAMS is a five-year project of the DOE in partnership with United Nations Development Programme and Global Environment Facility.

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