A group of out-of-school youth, displaced workers and residents of Barangay Buenavista Rizal in the Municipality of Pontevedra are now ready to tackle assignments in the solar power industry.
They recently completed an intensive technical training workshop qualifying them to undertake tasks such as running and maintaining the town’s newly-installed solar-powered water distribution system.
The now fully-operational Pontevedra water system, with “Programmable Logic Control Water Tender Equipment”, is a country first, having been designed and developed by the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) Visayas which mounted the 80-hour training program supported by the Rotary Club of Bacolod-Marapara.
TUP Campus Director and Rotarian, Dr. Eric Malo-oy, said he was impressed by the hard work and commitment of the students. “Renewable energy, especially solar power, can bring a bonanza of good jobs and I’m confident the workshop participants will go on to have successful careers in this sector,” he said.
Meanwhile, the residents of Barangay Buenavista Rizal are already enjoying the fruits of solar power technology with a ready supply of fresh water, pumped courtesy of the sun.*
