Gov’t brings electricity, internet to last-mile Agusan Norte school
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) - As part of the national directive to achieve 100-percent electrification of all last mile schools by 2028, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) successfully brought electricity to Datu Saldong Domino Elementary School in Sitio Tagpange, Barangay Simbalan, Buenavista in the province of Agusan del Norte.
To complement the electrification, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Caraga installed internet infrastructure under the Free Wi-Fi for All Program, bringing digital education within the reach of the school’s students and teachers for the first time.
The school served as the pilot site of the nationwide initiative to close educational access gaps in isolated areas under the government’s Last Mile School Electrification Program.
The energization is a key component of the government’s Last Mile School Electrification Program. In Agusan del Norte, it is implemented in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), DICT, and NEA through the Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative (ANECO).
NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano C. Almeda reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision. “This is our promise –to light up even the most remote schools. Walang iiwan, hanggang sa huli (Nobody will be left behind),” he said.
DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, praised the collective effort behind the achievement. “This school, located in a remote and indigenous peoples community, used to have no electricity, no internet. Today, it has both!” he said. “Because of this, some children don’t want to go home anymore, especially now that the lights stay on at night using the solar battery system.”
Secretary Angara emphasized that the school represents the first to be energized under the electrification agreement signed just four months ago. “Even after crossing two rivers, we communicated via live Zoom call with the Pres. Marcos Jr. in this very school, a symbolic moment that shows how far we’re willing to go to ensure no learner is left behind,” he added.
Agusan del Norte Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante encouraged the parents to remain engaged in their children’s learning journeys, saying, “We, as parents, are the first mentors and pillars of learning. With the strong support of DepEd and Secretary Angara, we are building better schools and securing a brighter future for our youth.”
Also present during the event were Agusan del Norte Congressional Representative Dale B. Corvera, Buenavista Mayor Joselito Roble, and key officials from DepEd Caraga, NEA, DICT Caraga, and the local government.
From a school without electricity and internet connectivity, the Datu Saldong Domino Elementary School now stands as a symbol of hope and opportunity. With more than 200 last-mile schools set for electrification by the end of 2025, the initiative exemplifies a whole-of-nation approach to delivering inclusive and transformative education for all Filipinos. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)
