37 tribal houses in N Cotabato ‘energized’

KIDAPAWAN, Philippines – Thirty-seven households, mostly of Manobo tribals in a remote village in North Cotabato, were the lucky recipients of an anniversary gift from the Cotabato Electric Cooperative (Cotelco) on Thursday. Cotelco executives, officials, and their staff went to the hinterland village of Lukatong in Barangay Biangan in Makilala town, to “energize" 37 houses in as part of the co-op’s 37th foundation anniversary celebrations. The Tribal Village (Sitio Lukatong) is a relocation site of Manobo villagers displaced by strong flashfloods in August 2006 that killed six of their neighbors. Felix Canja, executive assistant to the general manager of Cotelco, said the 37 lighted houses represented 37 years of Cotelco’s continued service to thousands of power consumers in the province. He said the project was made possible through Cotelco’s Light-a-Home program, in partnership with the National Electrification Administration (NEA); the local government of Makilala through Mayor Onofre Respicio; and Cotelco Board President Rudy Caoagdan. The houses were built through funding from the local government and Cotelco provided the wiring installations of each household for free. Cotelco is one among NEA’s successful cooperatives for acquiring the highest categorization on electric co-ops, the Category A+ Extra Large stature. For 37 years, the Cotelco, a non-stock, non-profit electric distribution utility, has provided efficient, reliable, affordable and adequate power supply to North Cotabato, said Canja. - Malu Cadelina Manar, GMANews.TV