By Maria Teresa B. Benas
MALIBCONG, Abra, June 3 (PIA) — An automatic voltage regulator (AVR) and a total of 100 units of kilowatt hour meter (kWh meter) were turned-over to the people of this town’s upland Barangay Gacab by the Affiliated Renewable Energy Cernter (AREC) at the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on May 27.
The devices were formally turned-over by Dr. Miriam Pascua, President of MMSU, and the AREC staff headed by Project Manager Dr. Carmelo Esteban to the people of Malibcong represented by Mayor Benido Bacuyag in a ceremony attended by Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Loreta G. Ayson.
In his message, Bacuyag said that they took the challenge of the MMSU President to make use of the opportunity of having the hydro-electric facility to create livelihood in their municipality and produce things that they can call their own of which they could be proud of.
Bacuyag expressed gratefulness to the DOE and the MMSU for their development endeavors in his municipality.
The devices, which are now being installed in the project site in Malibcong by a team led by Prof. Ruben J. Dabalos, are intended to upgrade the micro-hydro system of the Gacab (Banagan) Micro-hydroelectric System in the off-grid area Barangay Gacab, and help the Banagan Service Cooperative in the collection of monthly bills.
The system upgrading of micro-hydro facilities in Abra is one of the projects of the AREC that is part of the Phase III of the DOE-funded Gender Mainstreaming and Sensitivity Holistic Advocacy for the Renewable Energy Development.
In 2011, the AREC of the MMSU conducted a study in the upland municipalities of Abra that are using renewable energies and one of the recommendations identified by the people in the communities was the upgrading of their micro-hydroelectric systems in order to improve efficiency and the collection of bills.
The study was aimed to establish a Gender Map for the Renewable Energy Sector in Northern Philippines.
Abra was identified as one of the project sites because many of its off-grid municipalities are using renewable energy systems such as the solar and micro-hydro systems to generate electricity. (JDP/MTBB- PIA CAR, Abra)#
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=111369931135
abrenian.com 
Kalpasan ti pabalaak gubat diay Mabulo, Gacab, Malibcong, Abra adda met napintas a damag nga inted daguiti naanus a tumoltulong kadakami a taga-banbantay. Ket dakkel unay a yaman mi kadakayu apo, ta uray no kastoy ti lugar mi ket mataming yo pay laeng daguiti pakaseknan mi. Napatakder ti Micro Hydro Power Plan ti Barangay Gacab idi tawen 1993 babaen ti tulong da Bro. Alois Goldbelger (SVD) ken Engr. Cris Alfonso, DOST-Abra Dr. Menandro Buenafe and the Provincial Governnment of Abra during the time of Gov. Vicsyd Valera, Philip Tinggonong (PPDO). The Diocese of Abra Bishop Aremio Rillera, and Parish Priest Fr. Romy Fajardo and the CCAGG. Daytoy a projyekto ket naaramid babaen ti sacripisyo daguiti umili a mangted ti labor counter part during the construction.
Maituloy to manen…. agyaman kami unay kadakayo appo….
My comments: the said materials should be directly awarded to the officers of Banagan Micro Hydro or during the awarding the officers of the Banagan Micro Hydro should be present because they are the direct beneficiaries of the project.
Posted by Naragsak | June 3, 2013, 11:04 pmproyikto aya ni miyor dyta kit saan tolong a naggapo t sabali, kalsada ti onaem cka a mayor t malibcong tapno somayaat t biag kin pagsapolan dita, kanayon ka laing omaasan ti tolong awan pay project mo. Madi ka pay mapaikkan t rangtay dagita rombing a marangtayan agiiyan ka kit dita bagalay kaano pay a nagbalin nga malibcong t bagalay.
Posted by AGKOKOTEL | June 4, 2013, 8:59 amApay ngamin a ni mayor ti nangiyawatan da, ke ti ammok idi maa-aramid dayta nga proyekto awan met intulong dan sa ta tiempo ti politica a nagrugi dayta… malagip ko ti inted ni Mayor Bacuyag ket food for work a maggie ken royco naggaputi DSWD dowwa nga cartoons… ngem uray pay no kasta agayaman kam latta kenka.
Posted by tikma | June 4, 2013, 10:45 amKaya padak nga Abrenio,..salwadan tayo dagiti natural resources tayo…labanan iti panagMina ken illegal logging. Apagbiit laeng nga kinabaknang iti maited na daytoy ngem no masalwadan iti aglawlaw tayo. Panunuten tayo dagiti sumaruno nga henerasyon.
Posted by missD | June 4, 2013, 2:08 pmHow I wissh that the micro hydro project will also reach other upland municipalities like Tineg where there is no electric power and in some barangays of Lacub and other upland municipalities who has no electric yet. I’m very much interested in that micro hydro… How much does it cost to put that up in a barangay? Anybody could give me an idea on the expenses of having such project? Its been my wish to have electrification in our place so that people will be able to experience having electricity hindi lang ung pine tree ang ginagamit na ilaw ng tahanan, para ma experience din ng mga bata ang manood ng tv at makagamit ng mga bagay bagay na pinapaandar ng electricity. Computer world na tayo pero kami ni electric wala pa, ung kerosene pa rin at pine tree pa rin ang ilaw namin sa mga kabahayan.maraming salamat po.
Posted by lavander | June 4, 2013, 3:38 pmLavander you better ask directly DOST-Abra kasi sila ang actor dyan sila po ang tumolung sa amin.
Posted by Naragsak | June 4, 2013, 7:59 pmDakkel met ti intulong ti De La Salle University nga indaulowan ni Prof. Fred Salazar isu da ti timmotok ti pannakaaramid na dayta a micro hydro diay gacab, ta uray no agtud-tudo ken agbag-bagyo piliten da a sumang-at diay bantay magmagna from aguibo to the site.
Ket agyam-yaman kami manen ta uray awan dagidiay nangirugi iti dayta a proyekto adda latta daguiti nalalaing a tattao a mangitul-toloy ti pag-sayaatana dayta a proyekto (AREC, MMSU AND DOE).
Daguitoy a proyekto ti mangiladawan no anya ti makun-kuna a “PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY” a napintas a modelo kadaguiti mangiem-implement iti proyekto gaputa ta it will generate income for the community, awareness of stakeholders to protect the environment, education improvement, and etc.
Posted by Naragsak | June 4, 2013, 8:08 pmLAst April 2013, I went with a team from DLSu to do an impact study of the MHP in Mataragan. It was a good project but the MHP has been damaged by the typhoon. It needs repair. We had difficulty getting a copy of the history of the project…the baranggay ofice got burned, can you help us reconstruct the history of the project also for the use of the community? Thanks – Sr Genny, RGS
Posted by genoveva dumay | September 13, 2013, 6:54 pmNapinpintas pay ti project no haan a maidalan a mismo iti politician (Mayor, Brgy. Officials) ta daguitoy ket isu da ti supporting factors during implementation and monitoring. Haan ko met a kunaen to exclude them but always respect them too adda latta ti courtesy call before you enter, narigat ti agimplement ti Community Based Approach ngem no you win the heart of the community… diay mo a makita ti support da.
Posted by Naragsak | June 4, 2013, 8:25 pmyou are very right naragsak kaya nag po ako nagtatanong dahil nais ko pong tumulong sa aming lugar. d po ako politician kundi simpleng ofw po lamang.nais ko pong makatulong sa aming barangay kung sakali man may malipon na konting halaga para sa micro hydro kng affordable lng po sya.
Posted by lavander | June 5, 2013, 5:40 amIt’s good to know that there are still people like you in the midst of economic hardship and political turmoil presently hammering our poor beloved province. Dagiti ar-aramiden yo wennno panggep yo nga aramiden ket saan a para kadakayo but it is a sign of a righteous real christian individual driven by humility and obedience for the glory of the One who created everything including us. Marikna mon ti imas dagita nga arapaap wenno plano, ania to la ketdin no agballigi kanto? Others, if you cannot understand what I mean, sorry but not until if you have also tried what these guys had been doing/planning…..
Posted by river cross | June 5, 2013, 11:51 amtila gamin binoboto..san yo mayor yo dita ditay mit ibagbaga dan sa idin nga “pomasok ka sa ilalim” a mayor daytan. Iso kadi? Kababain.
Posted by AGKOKOTEL | June 6, 2013, 2:31 ampomasok ka sa ilalim? ha ha ha ano bayan
Posted by agtig tigerger | June 6, 2013, 6:00 amada kano bisita na idi military official sa no saanak agriro sigon t dinamag imbis koma nga pumasok ka sa loob kona na kit pumasok ka sa ilalim kona na kit din laglaga a mayor
Posted by AGKOKOTEL | June 7, 2013, 10:45 amada kano bisita na idi military official sa no saanak agriro sigon t dinamag imbis koma nga pumasok ka sa loob kona na kit pumasok ka sa ilalim kona na kit din laglag a mayor
Posted by AGKOKOTEL | June 7, 2013, 10:46 amAgkokotel, di naman ganon just make a comments not necessary to say something which is not good. Ti nangibaga ti laglag, must nalaglaglag pay. Itneg kami haan kami nga dimmakkel diay manila gapu ti rigat ti biag mi haan kam a nakalpas a kas kenka, ngem uray pay no kasta nakapya ken raemen na kami ti tao.
Posted by Itneg Gak Apo | June 7, 2013, 11:56 pmLAst April 2013, I went with a team from DLSu to do an impact study of the MHP in Mataragan. It was a good project but the MHP has been damaged by the typhoon. It needs repair. We had difficulty getting a copy of the history of the project…the baranggay ofice got burned, can you help us reconstruct the history of the project also for the use of the community? Thanks – Sr Genny, RGS
Posted by genoveva dumay | September 13, 2013, 6:52 pm