With one of the regions with the highest cost of electricity in Eastern Visayas, local government units (LGUs) in the region are now looking at solar energy to cut costs and improve government services.
The provincial governments of Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar and Southern Leyte joined the city government of Tacloban in the formal signing of a memorandum of agreement for the Solar Solutions for Government: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Public Buildings (SSG-ERPB) initiative at a recent event in Tacloban City.
Under the agreement with the Department of Energy, LGUs will adopt rooftop solar photovoltaic systems, undertake energy-efficient retrofits, and implement other measures to reduce electricity consumption, lower operating costs, and strengthen the resilience of public facilities.
DOE technical teams will also inspect government buildings to assess existing energy-saving measures and recommend improvements.
"This partnership supports the objectives of the Government Energy Management Program and contributes to the national target of achieving at least 10 percent energy savings in government operations," DOE Undersecretary Mario Marasigan said during the event.
" We are committed to providing technical assistance tailored to the needs of local governments if they decide to expand the program," he added.
Eastern Samar Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone welcomed the initiative, saying it would help address the region's recurring energy challenges.
"We all experience power shortages in the region that hamper government services. With the technical assistance of the DOE, this is a step toward a greener future. This is just one step in promoting renewable energy in Eastern Samar," Evardone said.
Under the agreement, participating LGUs will implement energy efficiency measures in key public facilities, including retrofitting government buildings, installing rooftop solar photovoltaic systems, and adopting other power-saving technologies.
The DOE said lower electricity expenses would enable local governments to redirect savings to priority services such as education, healthcare, disaster preparedness, and social welfare.
(With report from PNA)
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