• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco is now advocating for the use of renewable energy to energize his town, focusing on harnessing hydroelectric power and biomass energy resources.
The mayor announced that the municipal hall, main public market, and public plaza are now being powered with solar energy, each with a capacity of up to 100 kilowatts.
Toboso now aims to finish another 700 kilowatts to complete its 1 megawatt target for the year. A solar-powered Ferris wheel is also targeted to rise this year at the Toboso public plaza.
The municipal government has also distributed six-kilowatt solar power installations to the first six beneficiary barangays. Mayor Jaojoco said they plan to provide more solar lights to all barangays in Toboso.
Furthermore, Toboso is set to improve electricity provision to households in Sitios Vergara and Magtuod by utilizing renewable energy from the VEMADECO Mini-Hydro Power Plant. The mayor committed P2.8 million to fund its enhancement.
VEMADECO has been supplying renewable electricity to the two isolated sitios since 2008.
“Actually, we already allocated P1 million to them last year, but I told them not to spend the fund without a concrete plan. That’s why we engaged the University of Saint La Salle to assist us. We funded their study, and they provided us with a detailed plan on how to utilize the P2.8 million,” the mayor explained, citing that the USLS research will guide them in properly spending the funds.
The P2.8 million was not included in the town’s 2026 budget; it was sourced from the town’s P14 million surplus, Jaojoco said.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is advocating for the expansion of VEMADECO’s power distribution to other communities in Toboso.
“By studying household energy use and promoting practical conservation strategies, we move beyond merely supplying electricity to empowering communities to become active partners in energy sustainability. Conservation is not about sacrifice; it’s about resilience, efficiency, and shared accountability,” he stated.
This initiative aligns with the province’s SecuRE NEGROS program, which aims to ensure that energy in Negros Occidental is renewable, reliable, accessible, available, affordable, and sustainable.*
