[Business] Globe Telecom joins Sail for Light in bringing solar energy to 250 households in Palawan

Leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom is set to support the communications requirements of Sail for Light, an outreach component of the Blackberry 12^th Philippine Hobie Challenge, involving the donation of solar lanterns to 250 households in remote communities of Coron, Culion, and El Nido in Palawan.

Globe Telecom Head for Corporate Social Responsibility Rob I. Nazal (right) together with (from L-R) Stiftung Solarenergie (StS) Marketing and Communications Associate Marigold Manlosa; Mt. Everest Expedition Teams Technical and Support Group member Fred Jamili; and Hybrid Social Solutions Chief Finance Officer Red P. Padilla

Through Sail for Light, local and international teams competing in the sailing event from Busuanga to El Nido on March 10-17 will distribute solar lamps to identified Palawan fishing communities with the assistance of local non-government organizations such as El Nido Foundation and Cartwheel Foundation.   

Lamps are charged by a solar panel throughout the day and can provide up to 100 hours of light when fully charged.  The Sun Transfer 1 solar lamp contains a 100-lumen LED bulb that can light a small room or hut, and also includes a USB port which allows mobile phones to be charged.

As the official telecom partner of Sail for Light, Globe is helping raise awareness and support for the advocacy by donating smartphones, Tattoo broadband sticks, and pre-paid load allowance for mobile and internet as well as netbook computers for the Stiftung Solarenergie (StS) field staff. These communication tools will enable the foundation to reach out to 250 families in remote communities in Coron, Culion, and El Nido who still do not have electricity.  StS is an international non-profit organization which works for rural development and poverty alleviation by providing solar energy in rural and marginalized areas worldwide.

Globe will also give out 250 Globe Bridging Communities (GBC) SIM cards to the beneficiaries.  The special SIM cards offer discounted rates for calls and text messages plus retailing function to allow families to sell load top-ups as additional income.  Beneficiaries can also be connected to StS through the Globe Text Connect facility. 

“The GBC SIM will enable families to maintain contact with Sts and their local NGO partners for purposes of monitoring and evaluation on the use and impact of the solar lanterns. Through the text connect facility, advisories can be sent to the StS growing list of beneficiaries for better post-donation technical support and tracking of progress,” said Rob I. Nazal, Head of Globe Corporate Social Responsibility.
 

This is the second time for Globe to support StS campaign to provide four million homes across the country with safe, reliable, and sustainable solar energy.  The move is part of the social commitment of Globe to uplift the lives of marginalized sectors of the community and to help save the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

            

At present, 26.4 percent of the country's population lives in rural, mountainous and farming areas that lack access to electricity. Because of this, productive activity decreases or is brought to a standstill when the sun goes down.  Most households use kerosene, wood, and disposable batteries to meet their basic energy needs, incurring high financial, health, and environmental costs in the process.  The use of solar energy and solar-powered products can change the lives of these off-grid Filipinos by harnessing the sun's energy and empowering them to take control of their economic and social development in the long run.