Board member eyes solar panels for Iloilo schools

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Iloilo Fourth District Provincial Board Member Rolando “Rolly” Distura has proposed the use of allocated funds from the Iloilo Provincial Ordinance of Renewable Energy of 2022 (I-PORE 2022) for the installation of solar panels in provincial schools.

Aligned with the national Renewable Energy Act (Republic Act No. 9513), I-PORE 2022 supports the local transition to renewable resources.

In an interview with a local radio station, Distura mentioned that hospitals, government facilities, and schools are the three main sectors prioritized by the ordinance.

He clarified that there are dedicated annual appropriations for this initiative, which ensure that government facilities and schools are equally prioritized for the project.

Amidst the current heatwave, Distura emphasized the urgent need for schools to adopt solar power.

“We can go directly to schools because it’s more pressing now as we’ve seen that it’s really necessary due to the excessive heat,” he expressed.

Distura also advised school boards to consider renewable energy in future school designs, asserting that the provincial government could feasibly support such a transition with help from local officials and school alumni.

As the community grapples with extreme temperatures, more than 1,000 schools in Western Visayas have temporarily halted face-to-face classes, including Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Roxas City, Kabankalan City, Silay City, Guimaras, Himamaylan City, Bago City, Negros Occidental, Sipalay City, Passi City, and San Carlos City.

The suspension includes schools in various cities and municipalities, extending the interruption of in-person education that began in some areas on April 1.

Iloilo City has declared a continued suspension of onsite classes for all levels today, April 3, as a response to the severe weather, with Mayor Jerry Treñas having issued an executive order to this effect.

Schools have been granted the autonomy to decide on the continuity of face-to-face classes based on the adequacy of their facilities, like air conditioning, to manage the heat, which is expected to reach a maximum index of 43°C today.

The Department of Education in Region 6 has reassured that education will proceed through alternative modalities, ensuring that learning remains uninterrupted for the hundreds of thousands of students during this challenging period.