PAGADIAN CITY (PIA) – Residents of the municipality of Bayog this province are deeply grateful for the new solar street lights in barangay población.
This initiative has greatly contributed to maintaining peace and order in the area. The residents no longer fear walking at night, as the area has become more active and vibrant.
“Nagpapasalamat kami wala nang mga instances na may magtangkang magnakaw. Kampante sila kung uuwi sila ng gabi,” Esperanza Toledo said. (We are thankful that there are no no longer instances of attempted theft).
Jonalyn s. Pogaja, a resident vendor also said the lighted streets helps her to earn more from her little business.
“Salamat jud kaayu sa solar, lipay jud kaayu ko nga diha nila gibutang. Kay usahay magbrown out biya, karon kay naa nay solar, di syempre, mahalin-halinan pud ta. Naa jud ka-impuban akong negosyo,” Pogaja joyfully exclaimed.
(Thank you so much to the solar [street lights]. I’m really happy that they placed it there. Sometimes we experience power outages, but now that we have solar, we can sell more. My business has really improved.)
According to the local government, the solar street lights also play a significant role in improving their disaster response as it helps facilitate and speed up rescue operations.
“Dako kaayu ang contribution ang atong solar street lights. Naa mi mga experiences sauna sa flooding incidence. Pag naa na ang street lights, dali lang namo sila mapick-up didto,” said Cerilo Carcueva, a Sangguniang Bayan Member.
(Our solar street lights have made a huge difference. We’ve had flooding incidents in the past, but now with the lights in place, it’s so much easier to pick people up when needed.)
This 1.8-million-peso project is funded through the Seal of Good Local Governance Incentive Fund (SGLGIF), awarded to the municipality of Bayog after being recognized as a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) passer in 2023.
The SGLGIF is a program by the Department of the Interior and Local Government that provides funding to LGUs which successfully meet the criteria of the SGLG assessment.
The program aims to support development projects and encourage continuous good governance within communities. (EDT/CCP/PIA9)
