(Taguig City) In fulfilment of the Household Electrification Program (HEP), The Department of Energy (DOE) Visayas Field Office (VFO) organized a series of Solar Home System (SHS) installations and community consultations in the provinces of the Visayas region.

Presently, the DOE-VFO already lead the on-going installation of SHS’s in 375 households in the province of Eastern Samar covering the municipalities of Oras (220 households), Arteche (71 households), Quinapondan (59 households), and MacArthur (25 households). 

The installed SHS provided 3 units of 3-watts LED lights, and one unit of 1-watt LED light with built-in AM/FM radio and cellphone charger. The installation started last week of June and expected to be completed by mid-August this year.

The VFO also spearheaded the finalization of the list of community beneficiaries in Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental for 425 households to be installed on August 2014. This undertaking is considered a highlight in the implementation of the HEP as most beneficiaries in this municipality are rebel returnees and indigenous people groups.

Another list of beneficiaries are also being finalized by the VFO in the fishing communities in Higatangan Island and Naval, Biliran with 50 target households as well as in the upland sitios/farming communities in Mahaplag and Burauen, Leyte with 60 target households. The finalization of the target communities is in preparation for the SHS installation this September 2014.

The Household Electrification Program (HEP) is the energization of off-grid households utilizing renewable energy technologies such as solar home systems.