MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon (PIA) — For decades, nighttime in the remote areas of Manolo Fortich town meant a difficult and costly routine. When night fell, mothers lit candles, and children huddled around kerosene lamps, blinking through smoke to finish their homework

For 180 families across seven far-flung sitios (sub-villages), relying on temporary lighting not
only drained their meager income but also compromised their safety. It kept their communities
isolated. However, on May 11, the long wait for electricity ended.
Power reaches remote sitios
A joint switch-on ceremony at Zone 9, Barangay Lunocan, transformed the lives of these
underserved areas. The project, led by the local government unit and the Bukidnon Second
Electric Cooperative (BUSECO), connected these remote communities to the power grid.
For resident Arenelie Tamayo, turning on a light bulb inside her home was a major relief.
“Daghang salamat sa inyong dedikasyon sa pagserbisyo sa katawhan ug sa paghatag ug pagtagad
bisan sa layo nga mga lugar sama sa among dapit,” Tamayo said, speaking for families who had
long wondered if power lines would ever reach their doorsteps.
(Thank you very much for your dedication to serving the people and for paying attention even to
far-flung areas like ours.)
“The benefits were felt immediately. Beyond running basic appliances, stable electricity made
village streets safer at night and gave children a clean, well-lit space to study, without the health
risks of fuel fumes,” Tamayo said in dialect.
Connecting communities
Mayor Rogelio N. Quiño said the power expansion rolled out across several neighborhoods,
systematically changing the map of Manolo Fortich.
“The work started in the lowlands of Zone 9 in Lower Lunocan before climbing into the steep
terrains of Purok 3 and Purok 3 Zigzag in Upper Maluko. From there, crews extended the lines to
farming households in Purok 4B in Gaboc, Lingi-on, and pushed deeper into the interior of
Purok 3 in Guilang-Guilang. Finally, the electrification teams went through Purok 2A in
Mambatangan, completing the loop at the remote boundary of Zone 5A in Upper Moniga,
Kalugmanan,” the mayor said.
Free home wiring
Quiño said extending electricity to isolated mountain communities is costly, a reality that
prevents low-income families from applying for connections. To solve this, the National
Electrification Administration (NEA) utilized the P11.1 million allocation under the 2025
General Appropriations Act for the Sitio Electrification Program.
He said this was not a standard grid extension. To help residents, the national subsidy covered all
consumer setup costs. The program covered the concrete poles, primary distribution lines,
household drops, and even the internal electrical wiring and light fixtures inside the homes.
The zero-cost project aligns with President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s directive for total
rural electrification, which treats energy access as a basic service for remote communities.
Cutting red tape
The national project was fast-tracked due to local cooperation. To prevent delays, the
municipality of Manolo Fortich waived all local permit fees, clearing the way for BUSECO line
crews to install the lines without paperwork delays or extra costs.
Quiño said local governments must act quickly on rural development. He stated that the town
will continue to remove administrative bottlenecks to bring basic utilities to remaining unserved
areas, exemplifying how coordination between national agencies and local officials benefits the
community.
“As workers flipped the switches across the seven sitios, the hum of the power lines meant more
than just light. For residents, it was proof that their communities are finally connected,” the
mayor said. (JSA/PIA-10/Bukidnon)