During our week end vacation in Pangasinan, my fiance and I decided to visit his friend. We rode the bus and reached his friend’s house in 20 minutes. Accustomed to city traffic, I thought we could actually go back home on foot within one hour. My fiance’s mathematical genius (calculating speed=distance/time based on the yellow road kilometer marker) had no effect on my dogged perseverance to walk for pleasure.
Following my lead, the first 30 minutes of treading the national highway was spent chatting, laughing, taking photos of rice fields, buying street foods and eating. An hour had passed and we weren’t home yet. 
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- We reached this arch after an hour walk
It seemed as if the long road was leading us to black hole that the horizon was moving away from us as we walked toward it. It was dusky and the stores were closing. Too early, I thought. Soon, the road was already dark and the residents were already snuggling in their homes. I checked the time, it was 8pm and was too dark. There were light emanating from the incandescent lamps but the road was poorly lit.
While enjoying the HHWW (holding hands while walking), I remembered attending the Greenlight @ 40, the anniversary convention of National Electrification Administration held on August 3-6, 2009 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. It was then I learned that NEA was the government agency responsible for electrification of rural areas. They ensure all houses in the provinces have electricity so that kids can study their lessons and parents can still watch TV at night.
Since the agency’s inception in 1969, 98% of the barangays in the rural areas have been electrified and 8.25 million consumer connections are being served by NEA and their electric cooperatives. As part of their anniversary countdown dubbed “40K in 40 Days,” NEA, together with 119 electric cooperatives (ECs) nationwide, succeeded to bring light to 40,000 new consumers in the far-flung areas in 40 days.
NEA: 40 Years of Electrifying the Lives of Filipinos
Just a bit of info about NEA for you guys!
Anyway, back to our trip…after three hours of walking the 15-kilometer stretch of Pangasinan national highway, we reached home safely yet tired. My feet and legs were aching but I couldn’t complain–I insisted on walking afterall.
