The Provincial Government of Camarines Sur officially launched the ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐, a large-scale clean energy initiative that will distribute ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฌ,๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐น-๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ to households across the province, marking one of the most ambitious community-based climate and public health programs in the region.
By replacing traditional wood-burning stoves with improved models, the program aims to significantly ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ.
Rob Cayzer, Program Leader of Kalanisan Development Corporation, explained that the initiative is designed to help the province achieve its developmental goals. “The project actually aims at ensuring that we can help CamSur achieve its developmental goalsโto take CamSur to the next level, not just economically and socially, but also environmentally. This project touches all three,” Cayzer shared.
He further detailed its multifaceted benefits, noting that the economic aspect involves reducing the cost of cooking amidst rising fuel prices. Socially, the stoves provide individuals with more time for education and health while reducing respiratory issues. Environmentally, the clean cookstoves will drastically reduce carbon emissions.
To facilitate the rollout, the Provincial Government held a Local Stakeholders Meeting involving the Kalanisan Development Corporation, local chief executives, municipal coordinators, and representatives from various municipalities. Cayzer emphasized that the partnership with the local government units is vital.
“The key part of our approach is working closely with the LGU. Having a leader like Governor Lrayโit wouldnโt be possible without him. He showed us that he can support us with the project, and weโre excited about it,” he added.
Governor Luis Raymund โLrayโ Villafuerte highlighted the initiative as both a critical health intervention and an essential step toward long-term sustainability.
โThrough the Kalanisan Improved Cookstoves Project, we are bringing real, tangible change to thousands of households. This is not just about stoves. ๐๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ป๐ด๐ธ๐ผ๐น ๐๐ฎ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ฏ ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป. Ito ay tungkol sa mas kaunting gastos sa panggatong. Ito ay tungkol sa mas maraming oras para sa pamilya at kabuhayan. At higit sa lahat, mas ligtas at mas malusog na pamumuhay. Mas kaunting usok, mas maraming buhay ang mapapahaba,โ shared the Governor.
Millions of Filipino families currently rely on traditional cooking methods that expose householdsโparticularly women and childrenโto harmful smoke linked to respiratory illnesses like asthma and pneumonia. The Kalanisan program directly addresses this issue by offering an 80% reduction in
fuelwood use and a 77% reduction in indoor air pollution. These improvements lead to significant time savings for families and a lower carbon footprint through more efficient energy use.
The project is registered under Verraโs Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), allowing it to generate certified carbon credits while delivering measurable climate benefits. Governor Villafuerte noted that by reducing smoke, lives are prolonged, and the fight against climate change is strengthenedโstarting right from our homes.
The Kalanisan initiative is being implemented in partnership with development organizations and supported by national government agencies, local government units, and private sector stakeholders.
โAng panawagan ko sa ating mga LGUs, barangay leaders, at beneficiaries, tangkilikin po natin ito. Gamitin natin ito ng tama at ipasa natin ang kaalaman sa iba. Kapag tinanggap natin ang pagbabago, doon nagsisimula ang tunay na pag-unlad. ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐. ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐, ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ,โ urged Governor Villafuerte.
Beyond the household level, the program contributes to forest protection by reducing the demand for firewood and aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-Being, Climate Action, and No Poverty.
Municipal Kagawad Marcelo Roland Villafuerte of Tigaon, one of the participants during the meeting, expressed hope that the initiative will reduce carbon emissions while providing economic relief to small vendors and families facing high LPG and gasoline prices. He noted that for Indigenous Peoples (IPs), the project is a significant help as it utilizes resources already present in their environment.
“Since libre, dai na din sinda maluwas ning kapital, and for sustainability, yaon na sa paligid ang pwedeng gamiton na mga materyales tanganing mapagana asin magamit ini. Mas mama-maximize ta ang mga natural resources. Let us embrace this as a form of progress, innovation, and transition,โ he shared.
The rollout of cookstoves is scheduled from 2026 to 2028, with phased distribution across target communities. This will follow a rigorous process including project design, validation of carbon rights, registration, impact verification, credit issuance, and financial support.
With Kalanisan, Camarines Sur strengthens its position as a leader in innovative, people-centered, and climate-responsive governanceโanchored on its vision of a Greener CamSur.
Source: Province of Camarines Sur