The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has reaffirmed its mandate to fulfill its mandate of providing total electrification in the far-flung corners of the country despite limited budget.
The NEA, according to Administrator Edgardo Masongsong, would be receiving P1.163 billion from the national government to finance electrification projects for 2019. The amount is lower than the P1.817-billion budget allotted this year to energize 1,817 sitios (rural enclave that form part of a village).
Masongsong said the NEA will be asking for an increase in funds in the years ahead, citing the 19,740 sitios or 2.4 million households across the country that are yet to be reached by electricity service. Meantime, the NEA chief said the agency will continue to deliver in meeting its household electrification target.
To date, the NEA, through its partnership with 121 electric cooperatives (ECs), has successfully energized 12.447 million consumers nationwide.
“Our partnership with the 121 ECs is getting stronger every year, and with them by our side, we are making a steady progress toward meeting our target of new rural households having access to electricity for 2018,” Masongsong said.
Latest data from the NEA Information Technology and Communication Services Department showed that 260,224 new consumer connections were registered in the first six months, or 56 percent of the 460,000 corporate target for the year.