Government soldiers to fit innovative solar lighting to homes across the country

Manila: The armed forces, together with its non-government partners, are embarking on a project that will literally bring light to homes across the country.

Civil Military Operations (CMO) Groups and CMO Units of the Unified Commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, in coordination with My Shelter Foundation, will fit innovative solar bottle bulbs to at least 10,000 households, especially those located in high density communities.

The cost of electricity is a major concern in this country and it is not uncommon that families would bear living in poorly lit conditions just to lower their power bills. With the solar light bulb however, Filipinos can save on the cost of lighting as it will be virtually free during the daytime.

Recycled materials

Recycled materials will be the primary components of the easy to make bottle bulbs. Each unit is made up of clear, transparent plastic soda bottles encased in galvanized iron sheets. The bottles are then filled with a solution of water, chlorine, and salt.

The transparent bottles are inserted through the roof, illuminating the room as it derives its light directly from the sun.

"These activities are geared towards the creation of healthy and peaceful communities. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is supportive of efforts to harness renewable sources of energy to sustain our needs." Chief of Staff General Eduardo Oban Jr. said.

Significant cutback

The project, originally proposed by the My Shelter Foundation, seeks to tap potential sources of energy and to make local households in poverty-stricken communities lessen their dependence on commercial sources of power during daytime.

The innovative bulbs provide good source of light equivalent to 55 watts without using electricity during daytime.

My Shelter Foundation is a non-stock non-profit organization seeking to create a system of sustainability and reliability through its capability-building and employment-generating projects.