Bago City: Ninety households in the remote Purok Sunflower in Barangay Binubuhan, Bago City, Negros Occidental have been energized this week through the Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) of Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power). 'We want everyone, every sitio to have electricity. We are committed to this mission and we will do it,' Negros Power chief executive officer and president Roel Castro said in a statement.

According to Philippines News Agency, the ceremonial switch-on held on March 10 marked the end of decades of lack in power supply in the community, where 90 out of 137 households already received approval for meter installation. Purok Sunflower leader Jobert Quatero said they have long dreamed of having electricity. 'We are very grateful to Negros Power that after long time, there is electricity in our purok,' he said.

Amelita Boltes, 71, shared that the energization of their homes is a long-awaited blessing. 'It is very difficult to live without electricity. I am old, but I have never had electricity in the house. I am very happy, I would feel safe now especially at night,' she said.

According to Negros Power, the Purok Sunflower project features the longest power line constructed under its electrification initiative -- stretching across 36 spans, with 60 electric poles installed, and utilizing three transformers. 'We are grateful to be prioritized by Negros Power and we are confident that within a few years, 100 percent of Bago City will be energized,' Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo said in his message during the ceremonial switch-on.

Negros Power, the joint venture partner of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco), distributes electricity in the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay, and Bago, as well as the municipalities of Don Salvador Benedicto and Murcia. In August last year, it committed to investing an initial PHP250 million to energize 232 sitios and puroks under its franchise area in three to five years.