Life improves with access to reliable electricity
Household Electrification
Energizing homes, empowering residents in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan
Energizing homes, empowering communities. One Meralco Foundation’s (OMF) household electrification program has benefited 255 residents of Doña Remedios Trinidad (DRT), Bulacan in partnership with Meralco’s Sta. Maria Business Center and Plaridel Sector and the local government of DRT.
A total of 255 low-income families from several barangays in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan now have access to stable electricity service after One Meralco Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), energized their homes through its flagship initiative, Household Electrification Program.
The Foundation, together with Meralco’s Sta. Maria Business Center and Plaridel Sector in partnership with the Municipality of Doña Remedios Trinidad, assisted a number of low-income households from Barangays Pulong Sampaloc, Camachile, and Camachin for the installation of individual service entrances so that households can finally have their own electricity connection and also minimizes the risk of fire hazards due to illegal connections and using candles for lighting at night.
Ana Marie Galvez's family, who lives in Sitio Balabac in Barangay Pulong Sampaloc, used to rely on their neighbor for electricity access for 15 years where the arrangement was to split the bill equally amongst three households, regardless of their power consumption. To limit their electricity use, her family used just one electric fan and essential lights at home. Now, with their own electric meter, they can track their electricity spending better while using more appliances for their productivity. It is also more convenient now for Ana Marie, who has asthma, to use her nebulizer at home.
With own access to electricity, it is now more convenient for Ana Marie Galvez to use her nebulizer at home.
“Mahirap kapag nakikikabit lang ng kuryente dahil mas mahal ang bill kahit limitado ang gamit ng appliances tulad ng electric fan. Ngayon na may sariling linya na kami, may refrigerator na kami na nagagamit sa tindahan. May dagdag kabuhayan pa,” the stay-at-home mother said.
Stable electricity access allowed HEP beneficiary Leah Laron to expand the family's sari-sari store business from the usual grocery items and can now sell ice and frozen products.
Their neighbor, the Laron family, also benefited from the program as they bought a new freezer to expand their sari-sari store business which now sells ice and other frozen products. In their newly energized home, seamless internet access is also possible, said Leah Laron. This helps them communicate easier to their loved ones while her children can easily use this for research for school assignments and projects.
OMF and its partners recently held a community launch at the Doña Remedios Trinidad Municipal Hall with led by Mayor Ronaldo T. Flores and OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao and attended by Municipal Administrator Engr. Emilson Dela Cruz, Barangay Pulong Sampaloc Captain Joel A. Castro, Meralco Sta. Maria Business Center Head Emmanuel S. De Jesus, and Meralco Plaridel Sector Implementation Team Leader Edison N. Santos.
Doña Remedios Trinidad Mayor Ronaldo T. Flores hails the program that brought stable electricity access to low-income households across seven barangays in the municipality.
"Dahil sa ganitong programa, napagaan po natin ang gastusin ng mga residente para magkaroon na ng kanya-kanyang metro ng kuryente. Taos-pusong pasasalamat sa Meralco, One Meralco Foundation, at mga contractor na may proyekto at serbisyo sa ating bayan. Kahit napakahirap puntahan ng mga lugar—akyat bundok, tawid ilog—ay 'di sila sumuko para gampanan ang kanilang tungkulin at mapaabot ang magandang serbisyo sa DRT,” the Mayor said.
OMF's community electrification program paves the way for basic services to be available to more underserved Filipinos, said Meralco Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer and OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao.
“Bringing electricity to homes is at the heart of One Meralco Foundation’s mission. We empower not just the family by illuminating their homes, but we also unlock a world of possibilities for the community by enabling and enhancing productivity through new businesses which they can start, expand and evolve. Through this, we contribute positively not just to the community but to our country's growth and development," he said.
This is not the first time that OMF brought its Household Electrification Program to Doña Remedios Trinidad. It has energized more than 2,600 homes in other barangays in the municipality since 2015. In fact, seven out of eight barangays in the municipality are beneficiaries of the Household Electrification Program. The effective partnership with the local government was also recognized at the 2023 Meralco Luminaries Awards, which honors outstanding customer-partners in nation-building efforts.
Meralco and OMF are one with the government in its pursuit of 100% electrification. Aside from its Household Electrification Program, it also powers remote, off-grid public schools and helps communities become more productive by energizing livelihood facilities, rural health centers, and water access facilities and drive sustainable development opportunities to underserved communities in the country.
Energizing households in Dona Remedios Trinidad is possible through the efforts of various stakeholders. Our partners for community electrification: Meralco Sta. Maria Business Center, local government of DRT led by Mayor Ronaldo T. Flores (fifth from left), and One Meralco Foundation led by OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao (fifth from right).