“Light Riders" Summer Motorcycle Diaries

Episode on May 2, 2011 Monday after Saksi! “Light Riders" Summer Motorcycle Diaries (by Jay Taruc) This May, Jay Taruc and his I-Witness team embark on a different kind of motorcycle journey. In these hot summer days, Jay takes his big bike to some of the country’s most scenic destinations, not as a tourist, but as a documentarist on a mission to give light to lightless communities. For more than 20 % of the population living in rural, mountainous and farming areas that lack access to electricity, life is almost brought to a standstill when the sun goes down. Most use kerosene, wood and disposable batteries to meet their basic energy needs, incurring financial, health, and environmental costs in the process. The mission of the Social Energy Foundation (SEF) is to electrify all isolated villages through solar energy. To kick off its work and to bring attention to its advocacy, SEF is embarking on Ride for Light 2011, a 6,600 km motorcycle ride across the entire Philippine archipelago--- from Manila to Pagudpud to Zamboanga and back--- over 19 days. The ride will be led by three motorcycle enthusiasts with social emphasis on the often forgotten Indigenous Peoples. Jay Taruc rides with these “light riders" from Botolan, Zambales, to visit the Aeta resettlement area, to Sulipan in Pampanga, where they meet Badjaos living under a bridge. Solar lamps were given to each community. This campaign is focused on providing 3.5 million homes across the Philippines with safe, reliable and sustainable solar energy. The light riders believe that the use of solar energy and solar powered products can change the lives of these off-grid Filipinos by empowering them to take control of the light. Jay Taruc’s “Light Riders" airs this Monday, May 2, on I-Witness.