After 70 years, upland village in South Cotabato now has electricity, thanks to TESDA-12

KORONADAL CITY - Christmas will be different for this year for residents of in a remote village in South Cotabato after they received solar panels from the government through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA-12).

Under its “TESDA Alay ay Liwanag at Asenso” (TALA) program, TESDA 12 provided solar panels that gives light to Sitio Blit, Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato that have not experience electricity for the past seven decades.

Sitio blit, known as the home of “Tasday” and T'boli tribe, has no electricity and lights for seven decades as they say that the road to their village is stiff and difficult to pass.

TESDA 12 Regional Director Rafael Y. Abrogar II pursued the promise of TESDA Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña to give ample opportunity to those who have less in life, especially those living in remote areas in the country.

TESDA 12 trained the beneficiaries in a one-month Photovoltaic Installation for them to know how to take care of their solar panels despite the language barriers between the Tasaday and T'boli.

“Trainers slept here (Sitio Blit) to teach them how to install and maintained their solar panels,” Abrogar said.

According to Sitio leader Malec Dudim, 44, T'boli, that since birth he has not experienced having a solar light in his home, and for the past 20 years his family endured the night and missed an opportunity to teach his children about their school lessons.

“We limit our movement at night because it’s too dark and our children can’t read at night,” Dudim said.

Now Dudim’s family has now a solar panel that provide them light and enjoy the night.

“This is a big help, you (TESDA) fulfill your promise to give these solar panels to us, because of this we feel the presence of the government,” Dudim said in the vernacular while switching on the light inside his house.

Over 100 households will receive their solar panels for the next few months in Sitio Blit after they undergo the TESDA training and 1000 more household in the region.

Despite the pandemic, COVID-19 TESDA never ceased implementing its programs and projects to the remote community with strict compliance to the minimum health protocols.

“We have to act fast and that fast is now,” TESDA Secretary Lapeña said. (Karl Mike Tabingo)