The World Bank on Monday said poor Filipino families will benefit from the nearly $16 million worth of energy grant from the multilateral lender and its partner agencies.
The Washington-based lender said over 40,000 poor families without electricity in the remote areas of the Philippines would soon have access to solar energy under the Access to Sustainable Energy Project grant agreement signed by LGU Guarantee Corp. and the World Bank.
The access to solar energy is supported by $3 million from the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid, $12.8 million from the European Union and an additional contribution from the Department of Energy of the Philippines.
“This project supports affordable, clean energy in the Philippines for those who have no access to the grid,” said Catherine Commander O’Farrell, head of GPOBA.
“GPOBA has had a long engagement in the Philippines, working to mainstream results-based financing in the World Bank’s operations to ensure that basic services are extended to poor households. We are very pleased that this deep engagement in the country is also reflected in this innovative results-focused energy project,” she added.
The bank said the project was aimed at remote areas and isolated islands where marginalization is increased by a lack of electricity.
“A particular focus of the project is conflict-affected Mindanao, where poverty is disproportionately high and over a quarter of the population lives without electricity,” the bank said.
LGUGC will implement the project in partnership with electric cooperatives.
GPOBA, meanwhile, will disburse subsidies to contractors upon verification that SHSs have been installed and are functioning.
“We are working with the IFC-World Bank Lighting Global Initiative to provide quality service under Access to Sustainable Energy Project,” said Mara Warwick, World Bank country director for the Philippines.
