• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The adoption of energy saving measures by the Negros Occidental provincial government in all its facilities, long before the start of the Middle East armed conflict, resulted in the significant drop of its power bills, Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II disclosed on Friday.
Diaz reported that the provincial government power energy consumption dropped P11 million, from 150 million in 2024 to P139 million last year.
When solar panels were installed in September at the Provincial Capitol, Negros Residences and its food terminal, he noted that the monthly power bill that averaged P15 million, dropped by P700,000 per month.
The provincial government is set to put up additional solar installations for the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, as well at the Lorenzo Zayco Memorial District Hospital in Kabankalan City, and Negros Cyber Center.
Officials at the Engineering, Design, and Development Office and other managed facilities reported monthly savings of around P300,000 each.
The improvement of the 20-year old wiring system at the Provincial Capitol, where the old setup was plagued with unsafe cut-and-splice connections that caused overheating and fire alarms, Diaz said power waste was minimized.
In the wake of soaring prices of petroleum products amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson reminded Capitol offices to be circumspect and conscious in the usage of government vehicles.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday ordered all government agencies to implement energy-saving measures and reduce electricity consumption and fuel costs by 10 to 20 percent, as confirmed that some offices in the executive department will implement a temporary four-day work week beginning March 9.
He, however, said government offices that provide emergency and frontline services are not included in the four-day work week scheme.
Marcos Jr. also temporarily banned non-essential trips and activities in government offices.*
