SMP members and Pugad officials |
HAGONOY, Bulacan—Repair of the 80-year old lighthouse in
this coastal town of Bulacan
is expected to be completed before Christmas.
This came after old equipment of the solar power lighthouse
were pulled down last week and are being analyzed by technicians and electrical
engineers of the Sigla Movement of the Philippines (SMP), the non-government
organization that vowed to lead the repair.
Grossman Dax Uy, chair of the SMP-Bulacan chapter told the
STAR yesterday that they are planning to inaugurate the lighthouse before
December 15.
“We are hopeful that we can install it back by December 15,”
Uy said.
He said that a week after they visited the lighthouse on
November 24, a team of technicians and electrical engineers climbed the
lighthouse and pulled the old equipment with the help of residents and
officials of Barangay Pugad.
He said that all equipment are being analyzed and noted that
the lighthouse’s lamp changer flasher, day light control and light bulb needs
to be replaced.
The lighthouse’s electrical cables and other connectors also
needs replacement.
With regards to the solar panel and solar batteries, he said
that both are still being analyzed by technicians.
“We are hoping that some parts can still be used but we
already placed an order for parts that will be replaced,” Uy said.
Standing on the mouth of the Hagonoy river fronting the Manila Bay ,
the 80 year old lighthouse served as guide for fishermen at night.
Local residents said that in the 60’s it is lighted by an
alcohol powered lamp, and when electricity reached the coastal village in the
late 70s, the lighthouse’s was lighted by electric powered lamp.
However, during typhoons, the lighthouse usually fail to
function as strong winds used to cut power line to the lighthouse.
In the late 90s, officials decided to upgrade the lighthouse
with solar powered lamps.
However, the solar powered batteries of the lighthouse
expired seven years ago and since then, fishermen in Manila Bay
lost their guide at night.
SMP members and Pugad officials |
Last year, Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado took notice
of the lighthouse after a local newspaper published as story and picture of it.
Alvarado submitted a proposal to the Central Luzon Regional
Development Council for the repair and it was approved in October last year.
The RDC endorsed to Malacanang the repair of the lighthouse
along with the construction of additional lighthouse along the coast of the Manila Bay .
But more than a year after, nothing has been done until SMP
took the initiative last November. (Dino
Balabo)
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