For years, mothers recovering from childbirth at the Iloilo Provincial Hospital (IPH) in Pototan, endured sweltering heat in cramped wards, fanning themselves while cradling newborns. Today, thanks to solar-powered air conditioning, comfort has replaced discomfort — and relief has replaced worry.
“Before, it was so hot that I couldn’t even rest well after giving birth. Now, with the cool air, I feel cared for and safe. It’s a big blessing,” said Maria Dela Cruz, a patient at the hospital.
This transformation is part of a bold renewable energy program championed by Iloilo Fourh District Board Member Rolando Distura, author of the Iloilo Provincial Ordinance for Renewable Energy (IPORE) — the first of its kind in the Philippines with automatic funding.
The ordinance ensures 0.5% to 1% of Iloilo’s annual budget is invested in solar and renewable projects for hospitals, schools, and vital government facilities.
At the IPH, life-saving areas — the emergency room, operating room, and COVID laboratory — now run on solar power with an uninterrupted electricity supply.
District hospitals in the towns of Dumangas, Balasan, and Lambunao have also been equipped with solar panels worth nearly P6 million.
“We made hospitals the first priority because lives depend on stable electricity. Every peso saved on electricity is a peso used to buy medicines for poor patients,” Distura emphasized.
The impact is tangible. Hospitals once spending ₱50,000 monthly on electricity now redirect those funds to essential medicines.
“Because of solar energy, patients like me don’t worry if the hospital can afford the medicines I need. The savings are used for us — the poor who cannot buy them outside,” said Mariano Rendon, a farmer-patient in Lambunao.
This year, more hospitals — including Passi City, Janiuay, Cabatuan, and Pototan — have received solar installations.
Pototan now has 16-kilowatt panels with batteries, ensuring even recovery wards stay powered during brownouts.
“When I visited one ward, mothers were sweating in the heat after childbirth. Now, they recover in air-conditioned rooms powered by the sun. That’s dignity in public healthcare,” Distura shared.
The pioneering ordinance has made Iloilo a model of clean energy governance. The province earned the 2023 Energy Efficiency Award and the 2024 Sustainable Energy Award from the Department of Energy — the only LGU nationwide recognized two years in a row.
Looking forward, Distura envisions a greener future. His proposed I-SHARE (Iloilo Schools Having Access to Renewable Energy) ordinance will channel 5% of the Special Education Fund into renewable projects for schools.
“My dream is for Iloilo to be a certified Green Province by 2028, where hospitals and schools run on clean energy. This is not just about saving money — it’s about giving comfort, healing, and dignity to our people,” Distura said.IMT
