by: Charlotte Floors

Introduction

Ifugao is a province situated in the central Cordillera region in North Luzon. The geography of the area is characterized by mountains and an extensive system of rice terraces. These rice terraces are considered to be one of the best-built soil and water structures and were awarded with the status of being a UNESCO world heritage site in 1996. Local culture is built up around the rice production, with various cultural expressions among the Ifugao people. The major ethno-linguistic groups in Ifugao are the Ayangan, Tuwali and the Kalanguya. These groups have their own dialects and cultural traditions and are concentrated in certain municipalities in Ifugao. The Tuwali mainly inhabit the municipalities of Hungduan, Kiangan and Lagawe, the Ayangan: Mayoyao, Banaue, Aguinaldo and Hingyon and the Kalanguya: Asipulo and Tinoc. Apart from these groups, numerous sub-tribes exist, distinguished for example by geographical location or cultural division.

Besides agriculture, tourism is another means of income, especially in the area around Banaue, which became one of the most famous UNESCO sites and is provided with tourist infrastructure and numerous handicraft stores.

Ifugao is a relatively poor province. In 2003, 35 % of its inhabitants lived below the poverty threshold.2 Poverty in the region is mainly caused by severe resource extraction in the past and at present the low and unequal economic development. This was the reason PRRM started its branch in Ifugao in 1988, with a Sustainable Rural District Development Program. The program aimed to reach goals of popular democracy and sustainable development. The focus was on protection and regeneration of the upland natural resources, promoting indigenous cultural systems and improved farmer livelihood and quality of life.

Within the SRDDP program, sustainable energy development ran through the different themes that were covered, such as sustainable agriculture, alternative trading and marketing and social infrastructure building. These entailed questions such as whether the presence of micro-hydro would encourage men to stay in the village instead of seasonally migrating to the lowlands, thereby helping to produce stronger organizational communities; whether alternative trading and marketing could be developed with the use of renewable, decentralized sources of energy instead of having to rely on centralized sources; and if it would be better to promote solar powered pumps for irrigation practices instead of diesel water pumps.3

In 1992 renewable energy was integrated into PRRM’s program.

In 2002, the SRDDP program ended and strategies for continuing the movement building were developed. SITMo (Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement organization) was an organization founded by ex-PRRM staff and members of people’s organizations and became PRRM’s partner organization in Ifugao in carrying out the integrated area development program.

SITMo aims to preserve the cultural and natural heritage of the Ifugao people with different programs, campaigns and projects and it also carried on with the renewable energy program, as initiated by PRRM.

In 2005, SITMo won a cash prize of 850,000 pesos in the International Ashden Awards for Renewable Energy, enabling enhancement of the existing program by allocating funds for micro-hydro projects in the province. The annual Ashden Awards are given to organizations that implement exemplary sustainable energy projects that help to alleviate poverty, sustain the environment and preserve the local culture. One of SITMo’s board members went to London to receive the award from HRH Prince Charles of England.

The organizations that run the micro-hydro plants in the different areas in Ifugao can rely on the Renewable Energy Center of SITMo in Kiangan if anything needs to be repaired. The organization is supposed to cover its own expenses, but the center provides equipment for repair. SITMo will be informed beforehand if repairs in the center are needed. If SITMo has the funds (which at present they do not), they might provide help, but the project is turned over to the community, which means they are the ones responsible.

The provincial government is also supportive in the development of renewable energy, especially since Teddy Baguilat, former SITMo president, was elected as the provincial governor in 2001 and re-elected again in 2007. The provincial board developed a policy statement in which they adopted renewable energy as a core program. As of now, this statement still holds. This means barangays can apply for funds at the provincial level, by providing a barangay development plan in combination with a proposal.

Development of micro-hydro in Ifugao

Access to electricity is a problem for the people in Ifugao. Some barangays or sitios are situated far away from the electricity grid in the province which is provided by IFELCO. However, the abundance of rivers and streams within the province makes it suitable for generating electricity by water.

Micro-hydro technology uses falling water as a source for electricity generation. There are different ways of using micro-hydro power. One is a battery charger: the use of batteries that can be charged at the site of the micro-hydro. Direct wiring is another way in which the generated electricity is sent directly along wires for use in the houses. Finally, the rotational power of a micro-hydro (without generating electricity) can be used as a source for agricultural purposes, such as rice milling.

Renewable energy has been part of the programs in PRRM Ifugao branch since it became an official PRRM project in 1992. In April 1992, a 12-volt micro-hydro battery charger, also known as ‘firefly’, was established in Cambulo, Banaue. Knowledge with the technology was still in an early stage and therefore a demo model was developed first by a Dutch volunteer from the British VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) Jan Portegeijs, in an attempt to deal with possible technical problems and get acquinted with the technology. Moreover, it was thought that a demo model might increase support from the local community by actually showing the workings involved, without a big investment. A coop store in Cambulo was the first beneficiary to use the finished plant, to avoid a trial exclusively by one household. The coop store used the batteries for lighting in their building. By November 1992, 13 households used the plant.

People had to make a 1-2 hour hike to bring their batteries to the plant and have them recharged, usually every one or two weeks.

The coop board and the PRRM Ifugao branch decided to expand the technology further from that pilot. Since initial efforts in making a working plant and exploring different possibilities of the technology had been successful, the development of micro-hydro gained more importance in the PRRM branch. It was in 1997 that the first direct-wired 220-volt project (dragonfly) was established in sitio Gode in barangay Bangbang in Hungduan with the help of VSO volunteer Simon Taylor, who specialized in micro-hydro technology.

The choice for a firefly or dragonfly type of micro-hydro machine depends on different factors. A dragonfly project is larger and therefore needs good planning and organization, the financial risks are bigger and it takes more time. Moreover, as a larger number of beneficiaries are involved, the community organizational capability has to be more developed. The 220-volt system also involves increased safety concerns. Besides these factirs, social acceptability is another important factor to consider, as micro-hydro power involves the use of water which may have implications for irrigation of the rice fields.

In this report, three different sites in Ifugao where micro-hydro for direct wiring is used are discussed; barangay Maggok and Bangbang in Hungduan and barangay Bokiawan in Kiangan.

Micro-hydro in Sitio Gode, Barangay Bangbang, Hungduan

In 1994, Simon Taylor, another VSO volunteer, started to work in the PRRM Ifugao branch. He visited Louis Cabbigat, a resident of sitio Gode in barangay Bangbang in the municipality of Hungduan, who was by that time also volunteering for PRRM as a consultant in micro-hydro technology. Louis Cabbigat has a creative mind; constructing electric devices has been a hobby for him since his childhood. For his studies, he went to the Baguio Technical School (currently University of the Philippines Baguio) to study mechanics. Louis had been trying to develop a micro-hydro plant, taking a picture of a plant in his physics book as an example. However, due to lack of money, he was not able to turn his trials into a functioning machine.

Simon decided to help Louis, by applying for funds to cover the financial needs and providing technical assistance himself. Simon was able to generate funds for the project; an amount of 96,000 pesos was alloted from a PRRM program funded by a Dutch development non-governmental organization, NOVIB, to be able to purchase the materials needed. The community of Bangbang provided 200 days of free labour as counterpart to the project. The municipality of Hungduan also provided 20,000 pesos as counterpart.

The efforts turned into a 3KW micro-hydro plant, directly providing electricity at 220 volts to 27 households out of a total of 112 households in barangay Bangbang. The beneficiaries were chosen on three criteria: the distance from the plant, the provision of labour as a counterpart, and the capability to provide their own bulbs for lighting.

The plant was inaugurated by former Philippine president Joseph Estrada in 1997, and became the first micro-hydro plant providing direct electricity in Ifugao.

In order to enable the community members to run the project, trainings on community organizing and technical knowledge were provided by PRRM. These trainings consisted of 3 days of community organizing, 3 days of basic financial management and a week on housewiring practicals. The trainings were part of the standard social preparation by PRRM and later by SITMo. The graduates of the training program formed the Gode Electricity Organization (GEO) in 1996, before the plant was officially inaugurated and turned over to the community. The GEO consists of 10 community members in charge of maintenance and policies for operating the plant.

After the construction of the plant, 27 households were provided with electricity. Households have to pay for their own bulbs, which range from 60 pesos for an incandescent bulb to 160 pesos for a fluorescent lamp, which lasts longer. A bulb costing 110 pesos will last for about a year. Bulbs are available in shops in the poblacion of Hungduan, and the choice of bulb depends on the amount of money the household can afford.

In order to maintain the plant, the community was asked to pay a monthly fee of 30 pesos, which is increasing as maintenance is getting more expensive. At the time of the visit, the 30-peso fee would be increased to 35 pesos. People are willing to pay this amount, as electricity gives them convenience in evening hours and provides them with more time to do work they would normally do during daytime, as described later.

The plant in Gode is not operative in the dry season (March, April and May) as there is not enough water running. Moreover, if water is not sufficient, irrigation will have priority over the operation of the plant and the plant is then switched off. Finally, problems within the plant such as leakage, lack of water flow, or problems with the turbine may impede the plant’s operation for some time.

Some parts of the plant, such as the pillow blocks need to be replaced once a year or more because of corrosion, amounting to 800-1000 pesos per block, while other components may break down during operation due to general wear and tear.

The community does not have access to electricity during these times.

The GEO ran well in the beginning. But over the years, problems arose whe some indispensable members of the organization left the area. When the chairman left, the knowhow to operate the plant left with him. The remaining members had no more than an elementary education and did not have enough skills. Although policies were made to transfer knowhow between members, this didn’t happen properly. Currently, the organization is not functioning anymore, which leaves Louis as the only person responsible for the plant, from which he also gets his electricity. This means that the community has electricity when he is there and switches on the plant. Louis feels that SITMo, which took over PRRM’s activities, is responsible for organizing the group again and providing them with the necessary technical knowledge, if the initiative does not come from the community itself. Most of the knowhow that was provided by the trainings from PRRM has already gone since some key people of the project left the area.

The organizational problems of GEO however are being overtaken by events since the households in Gode will be provided with electricity by the 15 KW micro-hydro plant of adjacent barangay Maggok, which is being extended to the households in Gode in 2008. This will provide the community with a continuous supply of electricity. The plant in Gode can still be used as a back up.

The extension is the second phase of the Tungdo project initiated by the PRRM Ifugao branch and the provincial government of Ifugao in 2001. The project was supposed to be funded by the municipal government of Hungduan and the provincial government with PRRM as its implementor. However, the municipal counterpart fund did not materialize.

SITMo decided to spend part of their prize from the Ashden Awards for the completion of the Tungdo project. However, the money was nt enough to cover two micro-hydro projects so SITMo chose Maggok, with a commitment to source out funds for the construction in Bangbang. Some of the money were spent on the renovation of the Bokiawan micro-hydro plant and the purchase of new materials for SITMo’s Renewable Energy Center. The plant in Maggok was completed in 2006 and turned over by SITMo to the community organization Magsec.

The barangay was able to access funds from the provincial government in the amount of 50,000 pesos through Hon. Lucio Ayahao and 40,000 pesos through Hon. Jose Jordan Gullitiw for an electric load controller. Both officials were already familiar with PRRM and SITMo and were therefore supportive of the project.

The community uses electricity for around 4-5 hours in the evening, from the time it gets dark until 10 PM. People use these hours to cook, to make brooms and baskets or for blacksmithing. The products are used mainly for their own consumption but if there are buyers they may sell them. A basket sells for 250 pesos, whereas brooms sell for 70-100 pesos, depending on the design. Compays (a big knife), made by blacksmithing, sell for 350 pesos each. There is minimal activity in woodcarving.

Data on the actual hours spent on these activities are actually very hard to obtain. The handicrafts depend on the availability of raw materials such as tigergrass for the production of brooms and metal for blacksmithing. Moreover, the products are not sold on a regular basis but depend on the demand from potential buyers. Finally, involvement in these activities vary per household. For example there are only 5 households involved in blacksmithing among the 27 beneficiaries. In theory, people have more time to do these activities in the evening hours in theory, but the actual effect on productivity and income is hard to measure. However, community members do say they can be more efficient in their activities, as the provision of good lighting helps improve quality. Moreover, more working hours can be devoted for production activities.

The children in the community also have more time to do school projects and homework in the evening. The use of firewood and petroleum lamps for lighting has also decreased.

Besides the use for lighting, houses use electricity to charge their cellphones or to watch videos with other community members. There are two DVD players in the sitio. The number of other electrical appliances in the community is minimal. Louis himself only has a few electrical appliances in his house: a radio, television and a CD player.

The establishment of the micro-hydro plant in Gode was the first example of small-scale generation of electricity in Ifugao and therefore a step forward in the field of renewable energy in the province. Twenty-seven households were connected, enabling them to work evenings. However, the organization is not anymore what it was supposed to be. Louis is operating the plant on a personal basis, which was not the goal of the project when it was handed over to the community. Since Bangbang is going to be connected to the micro-hydro plant of Maggok, a cooperative needs to be organized again.

Micro-hydro in Barangay Bokiawan, Kiangan.

Bokiawan is a barangay in the municipality of Kiangan, consisting of around 150 households. The households were not provided with electricity by IFELCO, which made the site a potential for micro-hydro power. The presence of sufficient water supply to generate electricity encouraged the construction of a 15 KW micro-hydro plant in the area, which was inaugurated in September 2002.

The micro-hydro plant in Bokiawan is a joint project of SITMo and PRRM. The project was funded by the New Zealand Embassy for 450,000 pesos, through efforts of U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Jordan Ermilio, assigned to the municipality of Kiangan. The municipal LGU provided as counterpart 250,000 pesos to initiate the project. SITMo member Teddy Baguilat was the municipal mayor of Kiangan at that time, and he was fully supportive of PRRM/SITMo’s development efforts.

Organizing a community cooperative is part of the social preparation by SITMo and PRRM before the project is turned over to the community. Through this preparation, consisting of a series of workshops and trainings on community organizing, basic electricity matters and housewiring as well as specific knowhow on the operation of the plant, the Bokiawan Electricity Cooperative (BELCO) was formed, to take charge of the maintenance and management of the plant.

BELCO consists of seven officers. It is responsible for the initial construction of the electricity network, daily operation and maintenance, and financial matters. Initially, the officers were elected every year, but due to lack of skilled people in the community, the officers now have a fixed position. The officers responsible for operating the plant felt burdened with too much responsibility, so the staff decided to rotate the operation of the plant per household per week.

A representative of every household was taught how to operate the plant. Operators are important to switch off the plant during day time, so that the water supply can be used for irrigation in the ricefields. The plant is switched on again around 5 pm and stays on until the next morning. BELCO charges the community 10 pesos per bulb per month, a decision made by BELCO in consultation with the community. On special occasions, such as weddings, funerals and other events, people won’t be charged for the extra use of lights, as a public service from BELCO. Minor problems are solved by BELCO. Bigger problems are referred to SITMo’s Renewable Energy Center in Kiangan.

The location of the micro-hydro sites (both Bokiawan and Maggok) is not very favorable for transport and requires time and effort to reach. Parts for repair need to be carried by hand or on a carabao for about two hours. Sometimes problems are not solved immediately, due to lack of funds. For example, at the time of our visit, the controller which regulated the amount of water running through the pipe was partly damaged, but still did its job well enough to keep the plant running. Immediate replacement is too costly, compared to the monthly fee the beneficiaries pay. An increase of the fee would probably help to overcome such problems, however the community must also be able and willing to pay it.

The president of BELCO explains that the main difference in getting electricity from IFELCO and from their own micro-hydro plant is that any problem in the plant needs to be managed by the officers who do the work voluntarily, whereas IFELCO has its own paid personnel for maintenance.

This is reflected in the IFELCO charges: a minimum of 300 pesos, to a maximum of 2,000 pesos per month, depending on the amount of electricity used.

There is little improvement in environmental awareness considering that the electricity is generated by a renewable energy source. People are happy with the availability of electricity but the source is not really important for them. Moreover, electricity in the region is produced by a large scale hydro power, also a renewable energy source, though sustainability with projects of this kind is questionable, as it may cause flooding and impact the local ecosystem.

In 2002, 28 out of 150 households were beneficiaries of the plant. This went down to 16 households in 2004 when IFELCO began distributing electricity in the area, providing a reliable (though expensive) alternative to micro-hydro power.

The livelihood of the people in Bokiawan consists of rice cultivation, coffee production, betel nut collection and raising livestock, such as ducks, chickens, pigs and carabao. Coffee and betel nuts are marketed commercially, serving as the main source of income for the people. In case of good harvest, a household may be able to collect 20 sacks of coffee beans, which produces around 5 sacks of ground beans.

Betel nuts are sold for around 900 pesos a can, whereas coffee is sold for 40 pesos per kilo. Other products, such as chicken or rice, are traded mostly within the community.

Woodcarving currently has a minimal presence in the area, as prices of woodcarvings are low. However, when prices go up, people will probably make woodcarvings again.

With the plant in operation, households are able to do evening activities that require good light, such as cutting wood, fabricating brooms or making baskets for their chickens. These products are mostly for their own consumption only. Children are now able to study evenings, which was not possible before. Apart from households, one elementary school also initially benefitted from the micro-hydro plant, but it was later connected to IFELCO.

Apart from lighting, people use electricity for charging their cellphones, watching TV (2 households own a TV set) and ironing. Tools such as woodplaners have also been used since electricity became available.

Since BELCO is in charge of the micro-hydro plant, it is responsible for sustaining its operations. However, in case of mechanical problems, BELCO officers rely on SITMo to handle major problems or on outside technicians such as Martin Pinay-an or Louis Cabbigat. The main problems have been the lack of interest outside the BELCO officers and insufficient funds for solving immediate problems.

The provincial government encourages people to enrol with TESDA (Technical Education Skills and Development Authority), under a subsidized education program. But no one from the community has joined so far. Apparently, they still don’t see the benefits such training will bring. Also, applicants are subject to screening before they are accepted. But BELCO continues to seek recommendations from the provincial governor for the TESDA for skills development trainings in basic housewiring, to make access easier.

Micro-hydro in Barangay Maggok, Hungduan

A three hour hike from Poblacion Hungduan leads to barangay Maggok in the same municipality, where sitios are scattered along the rice terraces in the area.

Various streams flow out from the river Ibulao, criss-crossing the landscape. One of these is the source for the micro-hydro project in Maggok. During the hike to the site, I was accompanied by Martin Pinay-an and Louis Cabbigat, who were both involved in renewable energy projects of PRRM in the past. Louis had to visit the plant anyway, due to a message he received earlier: there was a problem with the plant and the Maggok operators needed help.

When we arrived, the five members of the management staff of the Maggok Electricity Cooperative (Magsec) in charge of maintaining the plant were waiting for us. We went to the powerhouse, after passing the dam and the inlet for the turbine.

It turns out that the runner of the turbine needed repair. The assembly was disassembled and the problemmatic component taken to SITMo’s Renewable Energy Center.

Magsec has a Board of Directors, management staff and a General Assembly, comprising the beneficiaries of the project. The Board of Directors consist of five members and is responsible for the policies regarding the operation of the plant. The management staff consists of two operators, a collector of the monthly fee, a technician, and a manager.

The Maggok power plant initially provided 37 households with electricity when it was launched by SITMo in 2006. Today, it serves 64 households of the 103 households in Maggok. Households were willing to join the project because electricity was seen as a basic need. The criteria for choosing the beneficiaries is the same as in the other micro-hydro projects, i.e., distance from the plant, the provision of labour as a counterpart, and the capability to provide their own bulbs for lighting.

The households pay a monthly fee of 40 pesos. Those closer to the plant may need to change their bulbs more often, due to higher voltages nearer the source of power.

The monthly fee is supposed to cover maintenance and replacement of components that wear out or break down, as well as the allowances for the management staff. The rest is meant to guarantee sustainability of the plant -- for example, to cover unforeseen expenses when a major part of the plant, such as the controller or the runner, is damaged. The fee is negotiated between the community members and Magsec. Lack of funds for certain expenses may indicate that the

present fee is too low. The members of the management staff, who are responsible for daily operations, split 50% of the collections among themselves as allowance. The collection per month is 2,560 pesos, of which 1,280 pesos goes to maintenance and 256 pesos for each staff member.

The Board of Directors do not get an allowance, as they do not spend as much of their time on the operation of the plant as the management staff.

The management staff is a fixed body, whereas the Board of Directors is elected every year. Magsec is able to function independently. But for major technical problems, they would call for help from Martin or Louis, who provide additional technical knowhow. In case of an urgent need for money, the barangay

LGU can allot funds from its internal revenue allocation (IRA) for projects like this, especially since electricity is a necessity among the members of the community.

After the runner is dismantled for later repair at SITMo, we are invited for lunch by one of the beneficiaries of the micro-hydro plant, and I get a better insight into the livelihood of the community members and the impact of micro-hydro power.

Households benefit from evening lighting, when they pound rice, cook, or make brooms. Three out of 103 households in Maggok are involved in blacksmithing, for which good light is needed. As in the other two sites, children are able to do homework in evening hours. Besides lighting, people use electricity to charge their cellphones; also, 8 households have DVD players.

The availability of electricity in the evening also reduces the need for fuelwood and petroleum for lighting.

Because the power plant broke down the night before, we got a taste of life without electricity: firewood and petroleum lamps were cozy enough, but few productive activities were possible.

After a dark night, we hiked back to Hungduan the next morning.

The construction of the micro-hydro plant has provided households with a reliable source of electricity. An organization maintains the plant and mediates conflict with the irrigation needs of the rice fields in the area. Moreover, the stable water source provides electricity all year round, with slight variations depending on the season.