By Maria Elena Catajan and Sherwin De Vera
BALBALAN, Kalinga—In Bolo, when someone calls for a meeting at dusk, it usually starts by igniting a bonfire. But now, it means gathering under a solar lamp.
Balantoy is a village in Balbalan, Kalinga. Even though the Kalinga Apayao Electric Cooperative (KAELCO) extended electricity to the area more than a decade ago, activities like the one taking place—where about ten individuals, primarily women and elders, discussed the impacts of past typhoons—were rare. Only a few homes in the village had outdoor lighting, and with residents using their electricity sparingly, even on special occasions, darkness often shrouded the public spaces and pathways.
Despite their desire to keep the village well-lit, the steep cost of electricity was a significant obstacle. KAELCO, the province’s electricity distributor, has one of the highest rates in the country, ranking fourth among utility providers in Luzon.
With solar lamps now in place, nighttime activities can occur without restriction. Lighted pathways now allow children to move freely between activities while teenagers, drawn to the glow of the solar lamps, gather to play mobile games.
Beyond extending social time, Bolo elder Alfredo Dawaton said the solar lamps have been invaluable during power outages and storm-related disruptions.
“The beauty of solar power is that it has greatly helped us, especially in lighting up previously dark pathways and yards. This allows us to use it for tasks that need to be done,” the 81-year-old village leader added.
With solar lamps now in place, nighttime activities can occur without restriction. Lighted pathways now allow children to move freely between activities while teenagers, drawn to the glow of the solar lamps, gather to play mobile games.
Beyond extending social time, Bolo elder Alfredo Dawaton said the solar lamps have been invaluable during power outages and storm-related disruptions.
“The beauty of solar power is that it has greatly helped us, especially in lighting up previously dark pathways and yards. This allows us to use it for tasks that need to be done,” the 81-year-old village leader added.
Clean energy vision
In Kalinga, a mountainous province in the Cordillera region of Northern Philippines, communities are harnessing solar power with the support of non-governmental organizations to address limited public services and the rising cost of electricity.
Depending on the route, the province is an eight—to ten-hour journey from Baguio City. Balbalan, recently reclassified from third to a first-class municipality, is another two hours from the capital, Tabuk City. While several businesses have taken root, most residents depend on agriculture, while others work in the small-scale mines of Gaang.
Electric lines reached Bolo in 2013, yet several villages in other barangays, like Balbalasang, Talalang, and Pantikian, remain off the grid. KAELCO has committed to full household electrification in the province by 2026 under the National Total Electrification Roadmap.
Despite these gaps, some villages have generated electricity through community-managed micro hydro systems, which power household lighting and rice mills.
In Bolo, 15 solar-powered street lamps now light up key areas—four came from the province and 11 units facilitated by the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) and Timpuyog ti Mannalon ti Kalinga, a federation of farmers’ organizations in the province. Two neighboring sitios in the barangay—Kilayon and Ligayan, also received five and 15 units, respectively. It was implemented with the Balantoy Farmers Association for Development (BFAD).
UNITY. As community counterparts, the men hauled materials and installed the lamps, while women prepared meals and snacks for the workers. (CDPC)These were among the 55 solar lamps the organization facilitated, which benefitted two barangays in Balbalan and one village in Brgy. Limos, Pinukpuk, with funding from the Honnold Foundation.
Established in 1986, CDPC is a consortium of development NGOs and grassroots organizations that provides services and trains rural communities to adapt to climate change by facilitating socioeconomic projects, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and exploring clean energy solutions.
Jerry Bula-at, CDPC’s peasant program coordinator, explained the criteria used for selecting the beneficiaries.
“One of these is rural areas where peasants find it difficult to access social services from the government. These areas are not feasible for grid access, frequently experience power outages, especially during typhoons, or have expensive electricity rates,” he said.
The CDPC network recognized the potential of the region’s colossal drainage area and promoted micro hydropower systems as an alternative to large dams for power generation. Its partnership with Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya (SIBAT) has allowed the installation, upgrading, and repair of five regional facilities–three in Kalinga and one each in Abra and Mountain Province—in the past years.
The solar lamps were part of the consortium’s efforts to explore and expand its renewable energy initiatives. From January to March 2022, it piloted its solar energy program, including a solar-powered potable water system in Brgy. Dilag, Tabuk City and two agroecology demonstration farms, located in Tabuk City and Sagada, Mountain Province, utilize solar power for lighting and equipment.
“The program aims to provide equal access to affordable clean energy and clean water. It serves as a prototype for advocating solar energy and climate justice for marginalized villages as an alternative to destructive hydropower dams,” explained Julie Mero, CDPC’s executive director.
She said the institution’s shift to solar energy promotion remains within its goal of showcasing community-managed solar facilities for homes and small industries alongside microhydropower.
“Specifically, the goal is to improve quality of life in terms of health, education, reduced labor, and safety while strengthening cultural integrity and dignity,” she added.
LGU initiatives
Raymund Taglia, Balbalan’s acting municipal engineer, shared that the local government had expressed interest in a proposed hydroelectric facility along the Saltan River. However, the project faces strong opposition.
The engineer was referring to the proposed 49-megawatt Saltan D Hydroelectric Power facility, which two out of the three affected tribes rejected. Another dam, Saltan E HEPP located on the borders of Balbalan and Pinukpuk town, also faces strong opposition from the affected communities and the local government of Pinukpuk.
“As an alternative, the mayor planned to install solar lights in all government facilities, like those around the municipal hall. The mayor said we should test the system first, which is why are now 18 units installed,” he explained in Ilocano.
Implemented in December 2022, the project cost P1 million and covered 80-watt lamp posts, delivery, installation, and a three-year warranty. The plan is to reduce each lamp’s wattage to 60 watts, allowing for 20 units per community—expanding coverage while optimizing costs.
“Although the mayor has not mentioned if this building [the current town hall] will be equipped with solar energy, it might be proposed that the new building planned for construction be powered by solar energy,” Taglia said.
“We are considering that, at least with solar, there are no electricity costs—only the unit itself,” he added.
While optimistic, Taglia acknowledged that fully realizing this vision would take time due to funding limitations. Geographical challenges also add to the complexity. “Some barangays cannot be reached by vehicles, making the transportation of materials a challenge… Due to the distance, transportation costs are also high.”
Additionally, Balbalan experiences only a few months without rain and remains under dense cloud cover for most of the year, making a feasibility study essential before large-scale implementation. Despite these challenging conditions, Taglia noted that the solar lamps perform reliably until dawn— the earliest shutting down around 4 AM.
Few but impactful
Community leader Pacita Taydac said the project strengthened their organization, noting that BFAD led its implementation.
“Before the solar arrived, we had a meeting. The community discussed it, and most of those who attended were women,” she recalled.
While some key areas remain unlit due to the limited number of units, she emphasized the project’s significant impact, especially for women in the community.
According to her, they can now move freely around the village without relying on resin pinewood or flashlights to navigate.
“It was difficult before, tough. Now, we no longer struggle. Of course, we (the women in the village) are the ones who are usually active and moving around, especially during events,” she said.
For Dawaton, the affordability and reliability of solar lamps have allowed them to work at night and hold community activities without worrying about electricity costs. “It helped a lot because when we have visitors, children can now practice near the solar lamp for their performances during events.”
The lamps allowed them to continue weaving tiger grass brooms after sunset, increasing their production from one to up to three for each person, which sells at P250 a piece. The solar lights have also been invaluable during power outages and storm-related disruptions.
But the impact goes beyond improved daily life, relief from rising electricity costs, and organizational development, said BFAD founding member Pablo Dongnga. He sees the project as a wake-up call—a challenge to the government to do more.
“This solar power has been a huge help… It challenged government officials to add more solar lamps. That is the real impact—it pushed the government to help us because the NGO provided support before they did,” he said.
*** Reporting for this story was supported by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities under the Jaime Espina Klima Correspondents Fellowship.
