ELECTRIFICATION OF 6 ISLETS PUSHED

Officials says next project being planned in the fourth district is a submarine cable from Bantayan to mainland Cebu that will be connected to the Cebu-Negros-Panay grid.

So the poor people can enjoy continuous supply of power at a lower rate, Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, fourth district) yesterday said that a P100-million fund has been set aside for a rural electrification project in Bantayan Island.

It will be used to provide power to at least six islets in Bantayan and connect it to the main island through a submarine cable.

Salimbangon said the government has conducted a public bidding for the submarine cable of one islet to Bantayan Island. This will be followed by another bidding for another islet until all six are covered.

“We have been pushing for this project for months but it was delayed because of the technical qualification of bidders. The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) already conducted another pre-qualification evaluation of bidders,” Salimbangon said.

He said they want participating bidders to be experienced and knowledgeable in submarine cable electrification because inland electrification is different from submarine connection.

“The submarine cable will be from the main island to its small islets. If the small islets, which have no power connection, will now have electricity, investors will establish businesses in the area like tourist spots or seafood manufacturing,” he added.

The next project in his district, Salimbangon said, will be a multi-million-peso submarine cable from Bantayan Island to mainland Cebu, which will be connected to the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) power grid./