Dimmed Hopes: Access to electricity available but unaffordable to many

Fifth in President Arroyo’s 10 promises to fulfill is the pledge to provide the most basic of all services: “Power and water shall have been regularly provided to the entire country."

And in Arroyo’s last SONA, she says, “Umabot na sa halos lahat ng barangay ang elektrisidad." The government’s technical report says 97.85 percent of barangays have been given access to electricity. Based on the estimates of the National Electrification Administration (NEA), this leaves only less than three percent or 900 barangays without electric facilities. Pete Ilagan of the National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reform (Nasecore) points out that electricity is a catalyst for progress. “Pag may kuryente, it will stimulate the growth of the economy. Ang lupang dati ay unproductive, puede magkaroon ng activity," Ilagan says. Since the start of Arroyo’s term in 2001, access to power has increased by 22 percentage points, or an additional 7,719 barangays installed with electric poles and lines. In 2000, Estrada’s last full year in office, access to power was at 76 percent. It’s a bright picture the President paints on the nearly nationwide access to electricity. But a closer look at the state of actual electric connections reveals a dim image. Government statistics show that access to electricity did not automatically translate to actual power connections. Data from the NEA show 11.7 million households outside of Metro Manila have been given access to electricity as of April 2009. But of those households, only 71 percent – only seven in 10 households-- have availed of the service or have active electric connections. This leaves some 3 million households that remain “powerless" even if electric facilities are available in their barangays. “Mas meaningful tingnan yung households. Kahit sabihin mong 100% covered ang isang barangay, kung isa o dalawang households lang ang may linya, wala din," says Socialwatch Lead Convenor and University of the Philippines professor Leonor Briones. Prof. Briones says enabling the people to avail of services is as important as giving access. “ Kung ang isang pamilya hindi kumikita ng sapat, hindi rin masu-sustain (ang household connection)," she explains. GMA News Research’s analysis of the data on access and actual connections finds that poverty may be a major factor in the lagging figures on household electricity connection. The study shows provinces with the lowest rates of electricity connection are those also considered poor based on the government’s poverty data. Household electricity rate is lowest in remote areas in ARMM. A study in the House of Representatives notes that peace and order as well as the poor road network may be factors in the low electrification rate in these areas.

PROVINCE	PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH ELECTRIC CONNECTION (as of May 2009)	POVERT INCIDENCE* (among population)(2006)
Tawi-Tawi	14.61%	78.90%
Sulu	21.24%	46.50%
Maguindanao	22.06%	62.00%
Masbate	31.87%	51.00%
Sultan Kudarat	37.97%	40.70%
Lanao del Sur	38.79%	52.50%
Basilan	40.46%	31.70%
Northern Samar	45.55%	52.20%
Palawan	49.08%	40.80%
Zamboanga del Norte	49.10%	63.00%
Sources: Sources: NEA and NSCB

**National Poverty incidence among families in 2006 is 26.9% Tap priorities The access to safe water is a goal in both the MTPDP and a country commitment in the Millenium Development Goals (MDG). In the MDG, the government is targeting to reduce by half the proportion of people without access to potable water by 2015. The 2007 data of the Department of Health says 85.7 percent of households have access to safe water supply. Government has provided safe water through deep wells, communal and household faucets. In three years, from 2004 to 2007, the increase in households with safe water supply was only three percentage points – from 82.7 to 85.7 percent. “The progress has been at snail's pace, figuratively speaking," says economics professor Solita Monsod in her analysis on GMA News. In her book, that’s a “dismal failure."

YEAR	PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH ACCESS TO SAFE WATER SUPPLY
2004	82.7
2005	81.8
2006	83.0
2007	85.7
Source: DOH

In 2004, President Arroyo designated the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) & the public works department to coordinate the President’s Priority Program on Water. The program aims to improve access to potable water in priority areas -- 432 municipalities where less than 50 percent of total households have access to potable water. Of the target areas, only 117 of 432 municipalities had improved water access as of April 2008. The remaining 315 municipalities still have very limited access to potable water.

PROVINCE	PERCENTAGE OF WATERLESS MUNICIPALITIES vs. TOTAL NUMBER OF TOWNS
Tawi-Tawi	90.91%
Sulu	73.68%
Maguindanao	72.73%
Apayao	71.43%
Zamboanga del Norte	64.00%
Lanao del Sur	62.50%
Palawan	58.33%
Agusan del Sur	57.14%
Source of basic data: NAPC