A liter of Light for the Aetas

A. PROJECT MARKETING
B. PROJECT IMPACT
PROJECT: Pepsi glows Aeta village in Tarlac

It is long time ago, 20 years to be exact, the Aetas of Sitio Tarukan in Capas, Tarlac spent their nights in darkness. Then one day, their darkness became a new beginning, there was light in their streets and homes and that is because of Liter of Light, a humanitarian project of the MyShelter Foundation and Pepsi Philippines. Here is a picture of the people who benefited from the project. I give credit to the owner of the picture and article which I posted in this blog. 

Based on the Philippine Star, The Tarukan lighting project is a gesture of gratitude for the tribe’s hospitality toward actor-singer and Pepsi brand ambassador Daniel Padilla who went there for a location shooting of his movie “Crazy Beautiful You.”

The one-day project was completed last June 6 with more than 50 volunteers deployed by Pepsi and Star Cinema to install 100 solar house lights and 40 street lamps in the village, benefitting more than 400 Aeta families. The volunteers also taught young Aetas how to make their own solar-light box – a simple do-it-yourself lighting system that does not need electricity.

Sitio Tarukan is a zero-powered zone in Capas, Tarlac located about 120 kilometers north of Manila.

Pepsi Philippines Inc. is a Philippines-based company engaged in the bottling and distribution of PepsiCo beverages in the Philippines since 1989. It is the pioneering sponsor of MyShelter Foundation’s Liter of Light project. The project, launched in 2011, provides sustainable off-grid lighting solutions using plastic soda bottles.

The original “day light” is a plastic bottle filled with bleach and water that refracts and magnifies solar energy through solar panels and a simple circuit to power an LED light inserted into the bottle. This simple technology is able to provide up to 10 hours of lighting at night, and can last up to four years.

Furthermore, in their Facebook page, A Liter of Light (Isang Litrong Liwanag), it is explained that MyShelter Foundation’s latest venture, is a sustainable lighting project which aims to bring the eco-friendly solar bottle bulb to disprivileged communities nationwide. Designed and developed by students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), The Solar Bottle Bulb is a device based on the principles of Appropriate Technologies – a concept that provides simple and easily replicable technologies that address basic needs in developing communities.

A Liter of Light is a program inspired by many innovations from around the world. Many cultures have used glass bottles to allow lighting through the roof. What must be emphasized the amount of people whose lives are being affected by this innovation. Alfredo Moser of Brazil has experimented with solar bulbs in his home town in Brazil which has been expanded by into a day and night innovation.

MyShelter Foundation was established by our founder and executive director Illac Diaz to create a system of sustainability and reliability through its capability-building and employment-generating projects. The innovation is a two step process of beginning with a DIY daylight that is affordable, and a second most important step which is a solar cell, LED and mobile upgrade. Introducing groundbreaking social enterprise, appropriate technologies, and alternative construction in the Philippines, we have pioneered projects such as the Pier One Seafarer’s Dormitory, the Design Against the Elements (DAtE) competition, and the Bottle School Project.

In an article of Pepsi Cola Philippines posted in their website,

Pepsi Philippines, Star Cinema, and BBDO Guerrero all banded together to light up an Aeta community in Sitio Tarukan, Capas, Tarlac through MyShelter Foundation’s Liter of Light project.

For more than 20 years, the Aetas of Sitio Tarukan in Capas, Tarlac spent their nights in darkness. Suddenly, there was light in their streets and homes—courtesy of Liter of Light, a humanitarian project by the MyShelter Foundation and partners, notably Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI).

The Tarukan lighting project was conceptualized as a gratitude for the tribesmen’s hospitality to actor-singer and Pepsi brand ambassador Daniel Padilla who went there for a location shooting of his movie Crazy Beautiful You located more than 120 kilometres away from Manila.

The one-day project was completed last June 6 with more than 50 volunteers deployed by Pepsi and Star Cinema to installed exactly 100 solar house lights and 40 street lamps in the village, benefitting more than 400 Aeta families.

The volunteers also taught the young Aetas how to make their own solar-light box - a simple do-it-yourself lighting system that does not need electricity.

“We hope that this Pepsi Liter of Light effort for our Aeta brothers and sisters will expand their horizons, and change their lives for the better. By ending more than two decades of darkness for Tarukan, Pepsi Philippines and its partners proved that a lot can be achieved in one day, as long as hearts and minds are aligned,” said Jika Dalupan, PCPPI vice president for corporate affairs and communications.

Sitio Tarukan is located about 120 kilometers north of Manila.

Pepsi is a pioneering sponsor of MyShelter Foundation’s Liter of Light project since 2011. This project provides sustainable off-grid lighting solutions using plastic soda bottles.

The original ‘day light’ (a plastic bottle filled with bleach and water that defracts and magnifies solar energy through solar panels and a simple circuit to power an LED light inserted into the bottle. This simple technology is able to provide up to 10 hours of lighting at night, and could last up to 4 years.

“Before Liter of Light, Tarukan residents had to limit their activities come nightfall. Now, they can extend their productive hours to work more, study harder, and spend more time with family and friends.” said Maricelle Narciso, Pepsi Philippines country manager. “By lighting up their homes and streets, were improving the quality of people’s lives, and making their communities even safer than before.”

“Maraming, maraming salamat po sa tulong na ibinigay nyo sa amin,” Tarukan chieftain Lito Diaz responded.

Liter of Light is the beneficiary of Pepsi’s global campaign ‘Pepsi Challenge’ with $1 will be donated to MyShelter for every engagement made using the hashtag “#PepsiChallenge.” The proceeds would be used to light up more blighted communities worldwide.

For his part, Daniel Padilla created a tribute video for his adopted sitio featured in his June 13 sold-out concert dubbed “Most Wanted” at the Mall of Asia Arena. The hashtag #PepsiChallenge, which the video also supported, became the number one trend for the Philippines on Twitter. Resulting in tens of thousands of dollars donated to the Liter of Light project.

“Araw ‘nyo ‘to para makatulong... sana marami kayong mai-post, para marami rin tayong matulungan,” Padilla stressed.