Solar Lamp Ends Student’s Hardship

Sixteen-year old Princess ‘Nicole’ Alolod received a gift of light after Gov. Hilario P. Davide III personally handed to her an ecologically friendly light source during the sidelines of Capitol’s cash incentives distribution in Bantayan island’s three towns last week.

Davide expressed optimism that the solar kit could serve as an encouraging companion for Nicole, as she is fondly called, in her daily night lessons.

A 10th grade student of Lipayran’s lone public school, Nicole earlier calls the government to provide its community access to electricity, a hardship which, she said, had been their appalling experience since her childhood.

Barangay Lipayran is a notable and inhabited islet located around 8 kilometers (5 miles) southwest from Bantayan Island’s municipal port. In 2013, the community was among those heavily affected by Typhoon Yolanda.

While Capitol staff went on with the cash incentives distribution to 1,631 barangay workers of Bantayan Island last February 17, Davide arranged a special and beaming surprise for Nicole and for some 50 residents.

The kit has 270×180 x18mm solar panel charged at daytime for use at night. It has 18V 5 Watts power for 5 bulbs (with switch on/off panel each) that can be distributed to strategic areas of a house.

With built-in power indicators, USB output, DC lighting output and efficient battery capacity, each kit costs around P6,500 that could last four to five years.

With its efficient power generator, the solar kit could light a household for up to 8 hours.

In an earlier interview, Nicole revealed that when night time creeps in, the difficulty of pursuing her dreams occurs to her. Orphaned at an early age, she said that without lights, appreciating her school lesson is as desperate as reading a book in a dark.

“Akong dakong pasalamat sa boutang Governador sa iyang hinabang namo, dako kaayo ni nga ikatabang di lang sa akong pagtuon kundi sa among kuminidad nga walay kurente ” she quips.

In a simple and hasty ceremony, Davide hopes that the fisherman’s daughter pursues her study and live her dreams of becoming a school teacher one day.

” Akong panghinaot nimo Nicole nga kining solar lamps makatabang nimo sa imong pagtuon ug unta magpadayun ka sa makugihong pagtuon hantud ka molampos.” Davide humbly said during the turn-over.

Aside from distributing financial allowance to barangay volunteers, Davide and Vice Governor Agnes Magpale also turned over some 81 monoblock chairs and tables to Bantayan Island Fishermens Cooperative. (Chad Bacolod) Photo by Edgar Florita

SOURCE: cebu.gov.ph