Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy Program

BARANGAY MAGSAYSAY, Davao City – On July 25, 2012 officials of the Bantol and Magsaysay BRECDAs signed a Recycling Service Agreement with the Oriental & Motolite Marketing Corporation (OMMC) and Philippine Recycling Inc. (PRI) for the proper disposal and recycling of used lead-acid batteries (ULABs) collected from AMORE barangays.

Cotabato City - There is nothing better to welcome the students in remote rural villages upon their return to schools than the news that they soon will be able to watch educational television programs courtesy of electricity from solar power. Principals and heads of all 42 schools in Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-Regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development (AMORE) Program for the schools’ electrification through solar photovoltaic systems.

On May 09th, residents of Cagbalete island inaugurated a newly completed water pumping system that will supply clean, potable water to the island’s more than 2,000 households.

Two big players in the energy business in the country further their advocacy for energy access for all including those in remote off-grid rural areas. The Aboitiz Foundation) and Quezon Power signed an agreement with the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-Regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development (AMORE) Program on March 21st for the electrification of rural households using renewable energy, particularly, solar photovoltaic (PV) technology.

PAGADIAN CITY – Ang ina ang ilaw ng tahanan goes the Filipino maxim. And in the case of the 20 women that traveled to Pagadian from neighboring towns in Zamboanga del Sur, the mother is not only the light, but will be the one to keep that light burning for their home and community, as they learn about solar photovoltaic systems and repairs.

This Christmas, gifts are not the only ones coming to the shores of Cagbalete island in Mauban, Quezon; the gifts of electricity and potable water are washed ashore, too, through a partnership between Quezon Power Ltd., the local government unit of Mauban, and the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-Regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development (AMORE) program.

COTABATO CITY – How is sunlight converted to electricity? How many photovoltaic modules are needed to generate 1-Kw of electricity? What happens if the battery system is over-charged? These are just some of the questions that are going to be answered in the next few days as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-ARMM train more than 20 of its technical personnel and instructors on the basics of photovoltaic (PV) technology and systems.

Representatives of more than 20 community-based associations and municipal LGUs from different municipalities in Zamboanga del Sur will have an opportunity to know more about solar lighting options for their homes at the 20th Mindanao Business Conference, which will run from the 7th till 9th of September in Pagadian City.

SULTAN KUDARAT – Travelling halfway across the globe from the west coast of the United States to Central Mindanao in the southern Philippines, over a hundred pairs of shoes donated by employees of California-based SunPower Foundation definitely came a long way. 

MARILOG DISTRICT, DAVAO CITY – Lying across nearly 1,500 hectares of verdant and rolling mountains more than 50 kilometres from downtown Davao, Brgy. Bantol’s more than 400 families living in twelve (12) dispersed sitios find themselves amid rich natural resources, but living without access to basic social services like safe and potable water.

Myla, a sixth grader in the remote mountain village of Lumatag, had thought that the ‘hearts’ being celebrated during Valentine’s Day (Araw ng mga Puso) refer to the anatomic heart. When electricity from solar power came to the village nearly a year ago, and a television was installed at their school, she soon found out from an educational television program that the "hearts" spoken of during Valentine’s Day were an allusion to love.

Bongao, Tawi-Tawi – The Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-Regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development III (AMORE 3) Program will hold a Renewable Energy (RE) Business Exposition in the capital Bongao of the southernmost islands of Tawi-Tawi province from June 8th to the 9th, 2011 at the Datu Amirbahar Jaafar Convention Center. 

Marilog District, Davao City – In the bid to energize 90 percent of all households by 2017, the Department of Energy in partnership with the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-Regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development (AMORE Phase 3) Program, turned over individual solar home systems to 100 households in Barangays Bantol and Magsaysay in Marilog District, Davao City.

Zamboanga City – The nearly 6000 students at Talon-Talon Elementary School in this city will finally have, beginning this coming school year, their first library. An old structure within the school premises that used to be the barangay hall was turned into the school’s first ever library in 64 years. The new library was supplied with books and reading materials and equipped with DVD-based educational programs that can now be viewed on a television powered by solar photovoltaic technology.

Koronadal City - Residents of the neighboring towns will have a chance to see alternative lighting system and products as the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Business Exposition organized by the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development III (AMORE 3) Program opened on March 28 at the Activity Center of Fitmart Mall this city.

Organizations, institutions and corporations working towards bringing safe water access to rural communities around the country gathered on March 18 at the Nostalg Ballroom of Oakwood Premier - Joy Nostalg Center as the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-Regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development-Phase III (AMORE 3) Program bring them together in celebration of this year’s World Water Day.

Two schools in the Zamboanga Peninsula will start enjoying the benefits of potable water as the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development III (AMORE 3) Program in partnership with the National Grid Corporation (NGCP) turned over the management and operations of the safe water facilities today (March 14)

   
On February 14, the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-Regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development III (AMORE 3) Program with its partner Rotary Club of Downtown Davao (RCDD) turned over the management and maintenance of its community-based water projects to leaders of Barangays Bantol and Magsaysay, both in the Marilog district of Davao City, in separate ceremonies that were attended by jubilant villagers.

Agreements were signed on 11th February 2011 between the Alliance for Mindanao and Multi-regional Renewable/Rural Energy Development-Phase III (AMORE 3) Program and the International Copper Association, Southeast Asia (ICASEA), and among AMORE, ICASEA and TESDA-ARMM (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-ARMM), intended to facilitate collaboration among the three parties on expansion of rural electrification services and strengthening of the photovoltaic (PV) supply chain.

After three months of hauling cement, gravel and steel, and uninterrupted construction aided by good weather typical in the island during the latter months of the year, residents of the village of Pangapuyan Island are received on 02 February 2011 the completed potable water system project implemented by the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program, in partnership with the Coca Cola Foundation.

The AMORE Program and Quezon Power Ltd. signed on 31 January 2011 a Memorandum of Understanding  committing to jointly implement a school electrification and distance education project in Cagbalete Island in Mauban, Quezon.

The Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy Program is pleased to announce the coming on board of Ms. Laurie B. Navarro as the program’s Chief of Party effective 03 January 2011.

Hundreds of students at the Marilog Central Elementary School will now enjoy the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) as the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program inaugurates its solar-powered computer laboratory on July 16. On the same day, AMORE USAID will turn over to Marilog School the management of the improved water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH) facility, which will provide the students access to safe water and toilet facilities.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Residents of the city and nearby island provinces will have a chance to see alternative lighting systems and products as the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Business Exposition organized by the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program opened on July 09 at the scenic Paseo del Mar.

Students of ten rural schools in the Marilog District, some 50 kilometers from downtown Davao, will soon be able to see animated visuals moving to background music and audio, as their school will soon be energized using solar photovoltaic modules.

SunPower Philippines – a leading private solar cells manufacturer – and the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program signed a Deed of Donation that formally transfers to the program a total of 20 solar panels for rural school electrification.

Members of the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to implement the third phase of the Program on April 27, 2010 at the La Mesa Eco Park, Quezon City.

The Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy Program is pleased to announce the coming on board of Mr. Jesus “Chito” Francisco as the program’s Chief of Party.

Ambassador Kristie Kenney gives 12-year old Saima Badule a token after the latter has given a testimonial at a gathering of rural electrification stakeholders on 10 June 2009 at a hotel in Manila. Saima’s elementary school in the village of Kabuling in Pandag, Maguindanao was one of the over 200

Secretary Angelo T. Reyes and United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney led a gathering of rural electrification stakeholders in lighting the 53-foot solar-powered Christmas tree two weeks before Christmas. By using thirty-five solar modules donated by Sunpower Corporation, and by adorning the tree with fifty thousand energy-efficient LED (light emitting diodes) lamps, the occasion highlighted the huge potential of renewable energy in the Philippines and need for energy efficient lighting. In the ceremony, the Department of Energy announced the launch of a household electrification program which aims to energize a million households in yet un-served areas through renewable energy.

An estimated 6,000 households living around the Ligwasan Marsh took urgent moves on Earth Day to protect the largest marshlands in the Philippines. Led by the Mindanao Alliance for Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE), a battery disposal awareness campaign was launched to educate homeowners living around the area on the proper disposal of used batteries in order to prevent possible leakage of toxic elements into the  biologically-diverse Liguasan Marsh.

Some 148 remote, conflict-affected villages in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Zamboanga del Sur are set to be electrified with solar home systems funded by Mirant Philippines Foundation under the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program.

Zamboanga City – Development assistance from the American people and local private-sector contributions are helping bring electricity to rural communities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program recently turned over to the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) 63 potable water projects benefiting some 9,000 individuals in remote coastal and upland villages in conflict areas in Mindanao.

Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla recently signed the MOA with AMORE Acting Chief of Party Chris Kopp and witnesses DOE Undersecretary Melinda Ocampo and Daniel Moore, Chief of USAID/Philippines' Office of Energy and Environment (OEE). Also present during the signing ceremony were AMORE Deputy Chief of Party Jim Orprecio and USAID/Phils. OEE’s Senior Technical Adviser Rosario Calderon and Cognizant Technical Officer Allan Mesina.

More remote villages in Mindanao, mostly in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), will soon enjoy electric service for lighting, following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Dept. of Energy and international non-profit organization Winrock International for a Php 21 million grant under the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Program.