“Idi nai-yanak kami ket awan pay silaw dituy (Barangay Ansagan, Tuba). I am now 60 years old…”– Barangay Captain Adonis on the P25M Electrification Program in Benguet’s Far-Flung Community

Tuba, Benguet – Forty-four families residing in remote communities across Benguet—particularly in Sitios Lower and Upper Sarisa, Barangay Ansagan, Tuba—can now enjoy access to electricity for the first time following the completion of the ₱25 million Sitio Electrification Program on October 30, 2025. The nationwide initiative aims to improve living conditions and spur local development in far-flung areas.

The program, funded by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) with ₱100 million coursed through the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO), allocated ₱25 million specifically for Barangay Ansagan.

According to NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano “Nani” Almeda, as shared through BENECO’s post, the cooperative has achieved an 85% sitio energization rate, with the remaining 15% awaiting connection. Almeda assured Tuba Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan that the remaining unenergized sitios in Ansagan will be fully electrified by 2026.

For over six decades, parts of Ansagan lived without electricity—relying instead on gas lamps, candles, and pinewood for light. The absence of power hampered major sectors such as education, agriculture, and community development, despite repeated appeals from residents for electrification.

In a statement cited by BENECO, Barangay Captain Atos Adonis recalled that he was born in Ansagan long before electricity reached their community.

“Idi nai-yanak kami ket awan pay silaw dituy. I am now 60 years old. Since then, we did not have electricity in Ansagan. Living without electricity for decades was hard. Residents used gas lamps (lampara), candles, and pinewood (saleng). Most households used saleng. When flashlights became available, we used them too,” he said.

For Sitio Sarisa residents, the arrival of electricity has already transformed daily life—making household chores easier, improving farming activities, and enhancing children’s learning through what locals fondly call the “Libre Nga Pa-ilaw” initiative.

The completed Ansagan electrification project is expected to uplift living conditions, enhance education and livelihood opportunities, and drive rural progress—finally bringing light to the once unenergized communities of Lower and Upper Sarisa.