Electrification project for Catmon Homeowners Association

• Main Author: Omaña, Terteen Gail B.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2004
• Subjects: Electric power systems—Philippines—Malabon; Community-Based Research; Family, Life Course, and Society
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/9389
• Institution: De La Salle University

The Philippine Business for Social Progress Luzon Regional Operations is currently implementing an integrated area development program in Metro Manila known as the Strategic Private Sector Partnerships for Urban Poverty Reduction or STEP UP. It aims to reduce poverty among 5,823 urban poor households in 23 urban poor communities in 8 cities in Metro Manila. One of the priority cities is Malabon City. The 3 identified communities in Malabon for STEP-UP are FLOVIHOMES 1 & 2, Dionisio Homeowners Association (HOA) and Catmon HOAs. Barangay Catmon lacks road and drainage, proper water interconnections and electrification. The most urgent at this point is the provision or installation of electrical connection to the households. Based on the city profile, only 25% of the household population and business establishments are covered by MERALCO. Among the 30 communities in Barangay Catmon, the STEP-UP program adopted 5 HOAs with a total of 672 households. These are the Peoples Coalition for Housing Rights (PCHR) HOA, Samahan ng Pagkakaisa ng Dumpsite Catmon (SAPADACA) HOA, Kaunlaran ng Samahang Hernandez Catmon (KSHC) HOA, Samahan Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Komunidad ng Catmon (STKKC) HOA and Samahan ng Maralita ng Catmon (SMC) HOA. PCHR and SAPADACA have already acquired their land through CMP. Their take-out happened last January and February 2004, respectively. The rest of the HOAs that STEP UP adopted in Catmon are currently in the Purchase Commitment Line stage (PCL). They are expected to complete the process by June 2004. Most of the members of these HOAs are engaged in scavenging of wastes, construction work, and sewing, among others. Average income ranges from P5,000.00 to P6,000.00 per month for an average family size of 6. At present, the community has no means to implement projects on infrastructure and community facilities due to their meager income. The depressed condition of the 672 poor families is aggravated by the lack of electrification that prevents them from engaging in economic activities to increase their income. The 5 adopted HOAs have long been experiencing blackouts due to limited capacity of the existing transformer in the area that could only provide electricity to 50 households. Moreover, the community is prone to fire because of the tangled wires and frequent transformer breakdown.