Gov’t’s electrification program must not be tainted with politics, says DOE exec

GOV’T CENTER, Palo, Leyte – The Sitio Electrification Program of the government should not be tainted with politicking, officials from both provincial and national government said. During the recent seminar hosted by the Department of Energy, Director Zenaida Monsada was informed on the problem of said program which she immediately said that politics should be avoided in government project implementation. “This program of the national government aims to electrify all sitios and barangays in the country with residents who are still living in darkness every night while others are enjoying the privilege of having electricity,” the director said. Although, she agreed that they are part of the agencies who are implementing the program, she stressed that said concern must be addressed by their line agency, the National Electrification Administration. “Those who have complaints must forward it to NEA, for them to make an investigation,” she stressed. More than 200 sitios and barangays in Region 8 are included in said program, according to Monsada. Problem on sitio electrification implementation in the province of Leyte arose after several residents from a sitio in the town of San Isidro cried foul against barangays officials, some local government officials and the Leyeco V management. They alleged that politics has something to do why they were not included in the project implementation which, according to them, is also their right to avail of the electrification program of the government. Board Member Anlie Apostol, chair of the committee on energy of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Leyte, during a committee hearing held at the Leyte SP, agreed to this contention of the affected party. “Electricity is now considered as a universal rights of every human… and this program is implemented by the national government without any color of politics, reason why we are asking those who are implementing to take this program away from the shadow of political bickering,” the lady board member said. “They should not involve politics in it,” she stressed. Reached to comment in said matter, Mayor Alan Ang denied that they have involvement in said allegation of some residents in his town. “The municipal government cannot influence the implementation of that program because plans of its implementation to include of who are to benefit and where it will be implemented are decided by the national government,” Ang explained. “We can never influence the program if ever there is political involvement, it must be in the lower level and not on us,” he added. Mayor Ang’s wife is running for mayor of San Isidrot this coming election and one of those who are alleged to influence the project implementation in their town having a relative working with Leyeco V. But this allegation was immediately dismissed by Ang during the interview, pointing out that it is part of the political black propaganda of their political rivals.