Tuesday, November 28, 2006 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
News
Sharif Aguak, Maguindanao — Brightness literally engulfed the impoverished Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) one Friday night with 227 villages simultaneously turning on their lights in the first Mindanao Light Festival.
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Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Zaldy Ampatuan leads the simultaneous switching of lights. |
The festival, which coincided with the Muslims’ observance of Lailatul Qadr or the night of honor and dignity, is symbolically expected to boost the productivity of people in remote villages to help the region rise from poverty.
The Islamic faithful believe that it was the night in which the first divine revelation came to Prophet Mohammad when he was in prayer in the cave of Hira. For Muslims, Lailatul Qadr is one of the holiest and most blessed nights occurring in one of the odd nights on the last 10 days of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.
They believed that at sunset of this day, angels will descend from heavens to bestow enlightenment and blessings on them. To guide the angels in their descend, they turn on all their household lights at dusk.
Shortly after the breaking of the fast at the ARMM government satellite office here, Governor Zaldy Ampatuan spearheaded the ceremonial switching of lights generated from solar power.
The electrification of ARMM villages since 2003 is being carried out by the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (Amore) program, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development. Nearly P511 million has been spent to light up remote villages in the ARMM’s provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, said Ces Rodriguez, information, education and communications manager of Amore.
Some Mindanao areas like the Zamboanga peninsula and the Davao Region also received several solar panel systems, each costing P75,000. Next year, the program targets to supply electricity to 148 other villages in the autonomous Muslim region following the release of fresh funds amounting to $2 million or about P100 million, Ms. Rodriguez said.
Mr. Ampatuan said at least 5,500 households across the region have benefited from the electrification project that increased their productivity.
"The electricity project in our region does not only bring light but, more importantly, hope to our constituents. It is a big step in promoting peace as well as socio-economic activities where electricity has never reached before," Mr. Ampatuan said.
Activities related to the simultaneous light switching in the autonomous Muslim region were immediately heard even in remote villages as various radio stations covered the event. US Ambassador Kristie Kenney joined the celebrations from Manila via messages on radio.
"On behalf of the American people, I want to give greetings to all of our Muslim brothers and sisters in Mindanao and say that I am honored to join you for this celebration this evening and that we are honored to be partners with you in Mindanao. It is really tremendous," she said.
"I think Mindanao is brighter today because of these partnerships. I think the light we provided provides opportunities to women. It helps children study. It improves household productivity and increases security," she added.
Mr. Ampatuan said the electricity will help in the regional government’s thrust to improve the livelihood of constituents in far-flung villages. "These lights will serve as guidance in our quest for peace and development in the region."
His father, Governor Andal Ampatuan of Maguindanao where 56 barangays or about 2,000 households were provided electricity, appealed to the beneficiaries to take good care of the solar panel systems. "I hope these lights will foster unity to each and everyone to work for the common good," the elder Mr. Ampatuan said in the Maguindanao dialect.
Wearing slippers, he joined the celebrations of the Mindanao Light Festival and the Lailatul Qadr inside the heavily guarded compound and lavishly built house of his son that serves as the regional government’s satellite office here. — Romer S. Sarmiento
http://www.itmatters.com.ph/news.php?id=112806b
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