Philippine Bamboo Exhibit 2014 previews solar lighting solution for Yolanda-affected areas
From September to December 2, MyShelter Foundation (MSF), in partnership with the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council ( PBIDC), is showcasing innovative solar lamps powered by Philips at the Philippine Bamboo Exhibit 2014 hosted at the Design Center of the Philippines (DCP).
These lamps made of styrene sheets and bamboo paper use 100 percent solar-powered LED lights developed by Philips. During the launch of the exhibit, Illac Diaz of MSF shared how this initiative celebrates the fusion of Filipino creativity with Philips solar technology.
With MSF winning the “Innovations that matter to you” initiative by Royal Philips through its affiliate, Philips Electronics and Lighting, Inc. (Philips Philippines), Diaz worked with Philips to use one- of-a-kind Philips solar LED cards to innovate MSF’s existing Liter of Light DIY solar lighting project.
Bringing light to Yolanda survivors
“Since April, Philips and MSF have been sitting down as a team with one goal in mind—to deliver the very first Philips meaningful innovation that will affect change in the quality of lives of families in the Visayas affected by Yolanda (Haiyan),” shares Fabia Tetteroo-Bueno, country manager of Philips Philippines. The collaboration has yielded remarkable results with the turnover of the Philips solar LED cards, and both parties are bound to put together its other components such as batteries, solar panels, and enclosure to have a complete functioning system for the Visayas.
Moreover, the creation of the Philips solar LED cards fulfils another objective of the partnership, which is to increase the efficiency of assembly while keeping costs low. Eight components from the old design were reduced to just three including the LED card and new enclosure. The time to build the lamp was reduced from two hours to 30 minutes, and both parties believe that this can still be reduced to 15 minutes.
“We are happy to update the public that we have entered our product design and testing stage, with the very first usage of the newest Philips LED card on solar lamps currently installed at the DCP,” says Bueno. “The creatively designed solar lamps displayed here at Philippine Bamboo Exhibit shows the great progress in setting the stage to bring this innovation to Yolanda-affected areas.”
Using a community livelihood program where beneficiaries are taught skills to build solar lights, MSF and Philips Philippines aim to bring light to the Filipino families affected by super-typhoon Yolanda by December 2014. The Solar Night Light Project by the “Meaningful Innovations” program is expected to light up 5,000 homes.
The 2014 Philippine Bamboo Exhibit will run until December 2 at the Design Center of the Philippines Building located at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, Pasay City.