wfn.org | WCC FEATURE: Philippine churches help light the world

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World Council of Churches - Feature
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For immediate release - 30/08/2005

PHILIPPINE CHURCHES HELP LIGHT THE WORLD IN REMOTE VILLAGES

By Maurice Malanes (*)

Stories of transformation
Feature series towards the WCC 9th Assembly
More articles and free photos in
www.wcc-assembly.info

They had literally groped in the dark for ages. But for the past three
years, more than a thousand upland folk in a remote village in northern
Philippines have felt blessed because they are finally seeing the light of
fluorescent bulbs.

Before Episcopalian (Anglican) Bishop Joel Pachao inaugurated a 15-kilowatt micro-hydroelectric plant in the village of Lon-oy (some 250 kilometres
north of Manila) in San Gabriel town in La Union Province in March 2002,
local folk had to content themselves with kerosene lamps for lighting.

"It was really a pity to see them groping in the dark at night time," says
Frank Taguba, an engineer of the non-governmental Sibol ng Agham at
Teknolohiya (SIBAT or Wellspring of Science and Technology), who helped
design and supervize the micro-hydro power plant's construction.

Accessible by a steeply rising road after three hours of tough driving
from the centre of San Gabriel town, Lon-oy is one of 10,000 villages
nationwide not covered by the state-run National Power Corporation's grid.
Under the government's Philippine Energy Plan, Lon-oy is among the
villages scheduled to be energized by 2010. But this is only on paper. And
even so, year 2010 also meant quite a long wait for Lon-oy villagers.

So, on their own, the villagers - most of them Anglicans - and the
Episcopal Diocese of North-Central Philippines' community-based development programme desk jointly conceived a micro-hydro power plant project. Aside
from helping design and supervize the project, SIBAT convinced the
Philippine government's energy department to provide the 1.5 million-peso
(some 26,800 USD or 22,000 Euro) fund for the project.

As their counterpart contribution, the more than 130 families in the
village took care of the project's labour. For three years, not only the
men, but also women and teenage youths dug and cemented a more than a
kilometre-long diversion canal from the Lon-oy River upstream. The canal
leads to a penstock and power house downstream, where the force of water
is converted into electricity by a generator.

Mainly designed for lighting only, the micro-hydro power facility has
enabled each household to avail itself of a maximum of 80 watts. More
luxurious appliances such as television sets, refrigerators and electric
ovens are not allowed. Otherwise, the facility breaks down due to power
overload.

But providing light alone has already worked wonders for the villagers.
Instead of straining their eyes with kerosene lamps, school teachers can
now work more comfortably under bright electric lights as they plan their
lessons and check papers.

Broom-makers can now make brooms for sale until late in the evening.
Sitting around a winnower with newly harvested legumes and beans to peel,
members of a family also exchange stories and riddles and sing songs
before they go to bed.

Early in the morning, members of an association of village women can start
baking bread in their liquefied petroleum gas-fueled oven in their bakery.
Before, they had to wait for daybreak before baking.

The women have also embarked on a food-processing project, which they can
now attend to in the evening and in the early morning. They are processing
ginger into tea, for example, something that they could not do before.

The micro-hydro facility has not only opened livelihood opportunities for
the villagers. It has also opened opportunities for spiritual growth, says
Johnny Golocan, an engineer and lay leader who coordinates the development
programme of the Episcopal Diocese of North-Central Philippines.

"With the electricity, our parishioners in Lon-oy can do their Bible
studies and fellowship and prayer meetings even in the evening," he says.

> A spreading gospel brings life more abundant

The gospel of giving light through micro-hydro power has also spread
farther north to the distant village of Buneg in Conner town in Apayao
Province, some 550 kilometres north of Manila.

The more than 300 indigenous Mabaka folk (one of more than 80 ethno-linguistic and indigenous groups in the Philippines) of Buneg got in touch with
the Catholic Church and the non-governmental SIBAT to help install a 7.5
kilowatt micro-hydro power facility. Like Lon-oy, Buneg is not a priority
in the government-run National Power Corporation's grid.

During six years, the Mabaka patiently hauled construction materials -
from cement, steel bars and pipes to the turbine and generator - because
from the nearest road Buneg is accessible only by foot after a six- to
seven-hour uphill climb. SIBAT provided the expertise and also channeled
funds from the United Nations Development Programme.

Inaugurated in January 2003, the Buneg micro-hydro power facility has
since been providing electric lighting to 36 families, and helping give
more livelihood opportunities to the upland folk.

Before he calls it a day, Mabaka elder Andanan Agagen weaves rattan
baskets in the evening, which he sells to lowland folk. The rattan baskets
that he weaves helped send a daughter to college. "It was beyond my
wildest dreams that I would see the light of an electric bulb in my
lifetime," says the 70-something elder. "I can only thank the heavens and
those who made this miracle possible."

Under bright fluorescent lamps, children can now study their lessons and
read books while Rosalina Dangli, the community's lone public teacher, can
plan her lessons for the next day.

In 2004, the Mabaka folk were able to access some funds for a hydraulic-powered rice mill, which has helped lighten the burden carried by women and
children, who, by tradition, pound rice. "Freed from the back-breaking
task of pounding rice, children have more time to study their lessons,"
says Dangli.

In other remote villages the government's energy programme cannot reach,
similar community-based micro-hydro power projects are helping start a
quiet industrial revolution. Blacksmith shops, rice mills, sugar-cane
pressers, even a vulcanizing shop, are now allowing families to improve
their livelihoods.

Asked about the role of micro-hydro projects in the overall scheme of the
Episcopal Church of the Philippines' vision and mission, Golocan says: "In
a small but concrete way, these simple facilities can help improve and
transform the lives of our parishioners. We are happy to see how, for many
poor families, they help usher in the abundant life that Christ promised."
[1,009 words]

(*) Maurice Malanes is a freelance journalist from the Philippines.
Currently a correspondent for Ecumenical News International (ENI), he also
writes for the Manila-based Philippine Daily Inquirer, and the Bangkok-based Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN).

[Sidebar text]

9th WCC Assembly: Praying for a transformed world

The 9th assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) will be held in
Porto Alegre, Brazil, from 14-23 February 2006. Its theme is a prayer:
"God, in your grace, transform the world".

The first WCC assembly of the 21st century, it will gather up to 3,000
church leaders and ecumenical representatives from nearly every Christian
tradition around the world. As such, it will be one of the broadest global
gatherings of its kind.

WCC assemblies are often turning points in the life of the World Council,
and this one is expected to leave its mark on ecumenical history.
Deliberations will focus on issues such as the future of the ecumenical
movement, the churches' commitment to economic justice as well as their
witness to overcoming violence, and the challenges faced in the midst of
religious plurality.

In Porto Alegre, members of the ecumenical family will be able to gather
around the assembly at a Mutirão, a Portuguese word that means coming
together for a common purpose. Made up of workshops, exhibitions and
cultural celebrations, this part of the assembly programme will offer
opportunities for members of the wider ecumenical movement to gather,
reflect and celebrate together.

This is the first WCC assembly to be held in Latin America, and it is
being hosted by the National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil
(CONIC) on behalf of churches throughout the region. Pre-assembly events
for youth and for women will be held from 11-13 February.

Assembly website: www.wcc-assembly.info

[246 words]

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Stories of transformation - feature series towards the WCC 9th Assembly
Information for editors and journalists

Stories of transformation is a feature series intended to help Christian
publications to raise awareness about the WCC 9th Assembly among their
readers.

Each month, articles will focus on various facets of the life of the WCC
fellowship of churches in the light of the assembly theme "God, in your
grace, transform the world", as well as on different aspects of the
assembly itself.

Stories may be shortened (please acknowledge). Feedback and notice of any
use of our features will be much appreciated. Thank you.

- - - - -

Opinions expressed in WCC Features do not necessarily reflect WCC policy.
This material may be reprinted freely, providing credit is given to the
author.

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media@wcc-coe.org

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.