The provincial government of Pangasinan has initially turned over three solar lights to Barangay Lawak Langka in this town as part of the project Liwawa (light) to strengthen the security of the province to maintain its insurgency-free status.

In a statement Wednesday, the Provincial Information Office (PIO) said the project promotes access to solar energy in farthest barangays, known as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA).

“Project Liwawa is one of the projects of Governor Amado Espino III that aims to illuminate far-flung barangays in the province by using renewable energy through solar lights to reduce the effect of climate change,” it said.

Espino is also the chairman of Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC).

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro said the project also provides importance to the help and contribution of the indigenous peoples (IPs) who are living in remote and isolated areas of the province.

National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) provincial director Enrique delos Santos Jr. said: “thank you for the inclusion of IPs in this program as many of the tribes are in GIDA thus, many will benefit from this project of the provincial government.”

The provincial government aims to set up two to three solar lights in 16 identified far-flung barangays, particularly in the Eastern and Western parts of Pangasinan.

Aside from the solar lights, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) provided 200 seedlings of sweet tamarind, narra, cashew, and mahogany, and a knapsack sprayer for the barangay.

Some 50 residents also underwent the modified mobile skills training project of the Provincial Employment and Services Office to learn basic carpentry and electrical troubleshooting, while frontline workers received rubbing alcohol and vitamins. (PNA)