Power rates in the Philippines are one of the most expensive in Asia, so expensive some local governments can’t pay to light their city’s streets. But cheap solar energy and soda bottles may just be the solution.
Manila by night - a city still bustling. Millions of commuters make their way home through what has become routine traffic amidst glaring lights along the city’s highways.
But believe it or not, in a city that is supposed to be modern, in the capital of the Philippines no less, there are still streets, alleys and pedestrian walkways that may not have any light at all.
That may be changing now - one soda bottle at a time. The government has been working with social entrepreneur Illac Diaz to illuminate foot bridges, roads and even entire communities using solar technology and soda bottles.
"This one is locally available computer parts - copper boards, electronic boards, circuits, and so what we’re doing is making it small enough. You know how Filipinos invented sachet, this is sachet solar, something that you can build out of a kit. Any person that is interested in it and will give us about an hour and a half to two hours’ time can build it," Diaz said.
That, in fact, is what Illac and his collaborators have been doing. At this detention facility, where these women have been making a living out of assembling solar light bottles. And at the government’s vocational training center, village leaders are learning to make them.
"This will really benefit our people. It’s energy-efficient, it will help us save money, and it also helps keep the air clean," said local government employee Mykee Medina.
At just over 60 U.S. dollars for each of these street lamps, putting them up is well within any local government’s budget, and could work just as well for any household that wants a lifetime of savings and energy-efficiency.
