Albay lawmaker to pursue power modernization, improve water services

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POLANGUI, Albay – Newly elected Albay 3rd District Rep. Raymond Adrian Salceda has vowed to push for the modernization of Albay Electric Cooperative (Aleco), which, residents say, stalls the progress of the province despite its vast renewable energy resources potentials.

Salceda also promised to work hard and strive to solve the perennial problem of water scarcity in many areas of his district and help modernize agriculture, being the main source of livelihood of the majority of his constituency.

He said he will also bring in massive state investments in tourism infrastructures and facilities and on programs that will promote agro-ecotourism in Ligao City.

"We will push to make Ligao a modern city," he said in an interview, adding that he plans to set up his district office in Ligao, being at the center of Albay's 3rd District.

He likewise pledged quality projects to solve flooding problems which have been the source of woes for farmers whose farmlands are always inundated during typhoon season, especially in the towns of Oas, Polangui and Libon.

These developments, he said, will help push the full potential and utilization of Bicol International Airport (BIA), which is situated in Daraga town, a top priority under the Global Albay program plan laid out by his father, outgoing Second District Rep. Joey Salceda.

"The success of the BIA will also be the success of my district, and the entire province," the outgoing Polangui mayor and president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Albay Chapter said.

The younger Salceda ran based on his HEART 4S platform, the same strategy the spelled success for Polangui which stands for Health, Education, Agriculture, Rural Infrastructure, Tourism, Trade and Transportation, Social Services, Senior Citizens and Solo Parents, Small and Micro Enterprises, and Sports and Youth Development.

His top priority, however, now veers toward the more pressing problem of Aleco.

To modernize the power cooperative, Salceda said he commits to help put up one substation in every municipality in the entire province, starting with his district "so a fault in one town doesn't affect neighboring municipalities."

Salceda said there is a need to negotiate with the Philippine Geothermal Production Company and the Energy Development Corporation for microgrids in Tiwi and Manito, respectively.

Several substations in the towns of Camalig, Daraga, Santo Domingo and Rapu-rapu were already erected by his father.