Manila is letting the sunshine in.
“A PHP2.2 billion project to illuminate the City of Manila with 10,000 solar-powered street lamps kicked off with the operation of the first 10 units in a ceremony held at Rajah Sulayman Park across Malate Church,” reports Erika Sauler in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The report added that “the lighting installations are also equipped with security cameras and electronic signboards, and are expected to significantly reduce power consumption for the local government, which is currently saddled with over PHP600 million in unpaid electricity bills.”
The project is implemented though the city government’s public-private partnership (PPP) with Global Goldgoal Inc., a multinational company engaged in renewable energy projects.
The next 50 lamps will be lit up on España Boulevard, to be followed by 20 more units on Blumentritt, and 10 on P. Sanchez in February. The rest of the units will be set up in other areas of Manila in the next two years. The PHP2.2 billion budget excludes shipping and installation costs.
The report revealed that “under the PPP, Goldgoal will get the earnings from advertisements to be placed on the LED signboards.”
Photo from MorgueFile
