“Let there be light” serves thousands

CEBU, Philippines - Over 20,000 poor families from different barangays in Cebu City availed of the city’s “Let There Be Light” program and were able to easily secure electrical permits for their respective households since the project started sometime in September last year.

Collin Rosell, head of the Division for the Welfare of Urban Poor (DWUP) which is under the office of the mayor, said dozens of people troop to his office everyday to apply for electrical permits without the hassles of presenting several supporting documents.

From January to May 31, DWUP processed 10,450 applicants for electrical permits and all of them were issued permits by the Office of the Mayor through City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete.

Before the “Let There Be Light” program was implemented by Mayor Michael Rama, these families were just using candles or kerosene lamps during nighttime while others connect to their neighbor’s power source.

Sub-connections are strictly prohibited by the Visayan Electric Company (VECO).

The electrical permits used to be issued by the Office of the Building Official (OBO) where applicants are required to submit building permits or land titles.

According to Poblete, the mayor found out that thousands of families failed to have their own electrical connections because of the difficulties in securing the requirements, prompting him to issue an Executive Order to address the concern.  (FREEMAN)