MARILOG, Davao City (MindaNews / 21 March) — Sitio Maluan, a small Matigsalug community located 10 kilometers from the nearest highway in Barangay Marilog Proper, has a population of only 182 individuals. Situated 80 kilometers from the city’s downtown, this remote village remained off-grid until October 2024 when the Davao Light and Power Company installed mainstream power lines. However, the community remains in the dark as residents cannot sustain paying for electricity. Availing of commercial electricity is an uphill battle, with some residents claiming they were exploited, offered a connection for ₱12,000—a significant sum for the impoverished community. One household managed to raise the amount and connected, but neighboring houses tapped into the same line. By January 2025, the connection was cut due to unpaid bills, leaving the community without power again.
Marcelo Ansodo, a 26-year-old rubber tree farmer, highlights the disadvantages of being off-grid, especially for students. Without electricity, children rely on kerosene lamps for lighting, hindering their education. Marcelo, who completed basic education in Sitio Maluan Elementary School, notes that off-grid students perform poorly compared to those with electricity. He emphasizes the importance of electricity for accessing the internet, a necessity for higher education.
Jely Joy Lacia, a teacher at Maluan Elementary School, shares the challenges of teaching in a remote area with limited resources. The school’s solar power system is barely functional, allowing only intermittent electricity during sunny hours. Without reliable power, teachers cannot print materials or use modern teaching tools, leaving students at a disadvantage.
The community’s hopes for electricity were tied to a micro-hydropower project initiated by Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) in 2013, funded by a ₱2-million grant from CHED. However, the project failed due to environmental changes, including landslides and deforestation, which diminished the water supply needed to power the facility. The lack of a sustained livelihood component and community unpreparedness also contributed to the project’s collapse.
Dr. Randell Espina, the project’s designer, stresses that renewable energy projects must include economic benefits for communities to ensure sustainability. He and Dr. Leah Mae Jabilles, who handled the social preparation component, emphasize that community participation and ownership are crucial for success. Without these, projects like Sitio Maluan’s micro-hydropower facility remain unused, becoming relics of failed initiatives.
Today, the micro-hydropower facility lies in disrepair, its components overrun by vegetation. The community continues to struggle with poverty and limited access to education, highlighting the need for holistic approaches to renewable energy projects that address both energy needs and economic sustainability. (Manman Dejeto / MindaNews) (Reporting for this story was supported by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities under the Jaime Espina Klima Correspondents Fellowship.)
