As one of the highlights of its 50th anniversary celebration, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) paid tribute to those who have made outstanding contributions to the successful implementation of the rural electrification program over the past five decades.
NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong led the Golden Dagitab Awards Ceremony on Thursday (August 8) held at the Reception Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
Among those in attendance were Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chairperson Agnes Devanadera, European Union (EU) Ambassador Franz Jessen, Solicitor General Jose Calida, Partylist representatives Presley De Jesus, Sergio Dagooc, Adriano Ebcas, and Godofredo Guya, former Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada, and former NEA Administrator Rodrigo Cabrera, among others.
In his speech, Masongsong said the Golden Dagitab Award is an opportunity to recognize individuals and institutions that have played instrumental roles in the development and successful implementation of the rural electrification program in the country.
It was in 1969 when the NEA was created through the passage of Republic Act (RA) No. 6038, otherwise known as the “National Electrification Administration Act,” as the primary national agency responsible for the implementation of the government’s rural electrification program.
“When NEA was created 50 years ago, its goal of providing electricity to each household in the country of more than 7,000 islands and islets seemed like a nearly impossible task. Slowly at first, the NEA and the electric cooperatives (ECs) persevered, providing power to one town, one barangay and households at a time,” Masongsong said.
“Over time, through the painstaking efforts by the agency and the ECs, we saw how once sleepy villages were transformed into vibrant communities at the literal flick of a switch. Education system improved, health and medical services became available, businesses flourished, communication systems were put in place, more jobs were created and crimes were reduced,” the NEA chief added.
Golden Dagitab Awardees included past Philippine presidents, previous Chairpersons of the NEA Board of Administrators, former NEA administrators, former Presidential Adviser for Rural Electrification Francisco Silva, and former Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) president Pedrito Baculio.
“In this occasion we dubbed as ‘NEA Golden Dagitab Awarding Ceremony,’ we shall honor and pay tribute to the pillars and advocates who have made outstanding contributions to the Rural Electrification Program,” Masongsong said.
Recognitions also flowed to Executive and Legislative Branches of the Government, the Department of Energy and its attached agencies, government regulatory agencies, generating companies, foreign and local financial and technical institutions, governance advocates, academe, media, and EC Allied Organizations.
Incumbent employees of the NEA were also cited for their contributions to the programs and projects of the current administration. In his speech, the NEA chief also extended his congratulations to the recipients of the PHILRECA Awards from the Wires.
On Wednesday (August 7), Masongsong also attended the NEA-EC-MCOs Convention on Rural Electrification at the PICC, and called for a continued solidarity among the ECs as he acknowledged that the rural electrification program is yet fully achieved.
“We are yet to bring to completion the Rural Electrification Program. We are yet to achieve the full rural development. Our six million countrymen are yet to rise from shackles of poverty,” he said.
“And we still have a long battle to be won. But this is a battle I know we will win if we remain solid and united. More than ever, we need to be in solidarity,” the NEA chief added. ###