Negros Occidental’s provincial government turned over solar panels and water pumps to three partner organizations on Thursday as part of its advocacy for Negrenses to use renewable energy (RE) under the province’s SecuRE Negros campaign.

During the ceremony at the Provincial Capitol lobby, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he was honored to turn over the RE power systems to the recipients for use in their respective areas of responsibility.

“When we chose the partners to receive these, we were very conscious of the fact that they must represent our everyday people, who are often left out in top-down development processes,” he added.

The beneficiaries are the GAID Mambugsay Integrated Social Forestry Project Minority Association, which received one unit of 1HP surface pump and five pieces of 550-watt (W) solar panels; Negros Economic Development Foundation (NEDF), four pieces of 550-W solar panels with inverter and accessories; and University of St. La Salle Training Farm in Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, one unit of 3HP submersible pump and eight units of 550-W solar panels with accessories.

The governor also witnessed the turnover of a set of the RE system, donated by the Negros Island Solar Power, Inc. to Ara-al Elementary School Nailab Extension, coursed through the Department of Education Schools Division of La Carlota City.

Lacson, joined by former governor Rafael Coscolluela, the province’s consultant on energy and environmental concerns, said during the ceremony that the day symbolizes the provincial government’s appreciation of the recipients’ significance in working together towards a Reliable, Renewable, Available, Accessible, Affordable, and Sustainable Energy for Occidental Negros by 2030.

“It is my hope that with the savings you achieve from the use of these RE power systems, you will be able to channel the funds to more productive uses directly benefiting the people that you serve,” he added. (PNA)