For most of her life, Liezel Sarmiento has lived without electricity or paved roads.
A member of the Dumagat-Remontado tribe and a barangay councilor from Sitio Cablao in the mountainous areas of Quezon, Sarmiento has long relied on daylight to safely make her way home and accomplish even the simplest daily tasks.
Reaching the nearest market means walking for hours over rugged terrain to buy groceries and other essentials—a reality that reflects the challenges faced by many Indigenous communities in rural Philippines.
Today, that reality is beginning to change.
Bringing Light to Communities Beyond the Power Grid
As part of BDO’s 50th anniversary celebration of empowering Filipino communities, BDO Life has partnered with One Million Lights Philippines and BDO Foundation for Lights for Life, an initiative that brings solar-powered lighting to Dumagat-Remontado communities in Quezon.
For every qualified life insurance policy purchased, BDO Life donates P500 to help fund solar lamps for families living beyond the power grid.
The initiative aims to support more than 1,000 households from the tribe, whose livelihoods depend on river fishing, vegetable farming, and copra production.
For these families, the absence of electricity affects far more than visibility.
Once the sun sets, children’s study time often comes to an abrupt end, while parents race to finish household chores and prepare meals before nightfall.
For years, many households relied on makeshift lamps fueled by almaciga resin to provide light inside their homes—a dim and temporary solution to a daily challenge.
“Sa mga mag-aaral naman, pagdating nila sa bahay, hindi na rin nila nagagawa ‘yung mga aralin nila, dahil walang ilaw,”
shared Myra Dela Cruz, the tribal chieftain or punong tribo from Quezon.
More Than Just a Solar Lamp
A solar lamp may seem like a small thing, but for communities living beyond the power grid, it can open a world of possibilities.
With a reliable source of light, families can move around more safely after dark, children can spend more time studying, and parents can have additional hours for household chores and livelihood activities.
For communities whose livelihoods depend on natural resources and physically demanding work, every additional hour can make a difference.
For Sarmiento, the impact can be summed up simply:
“Kahit sa simpleng ilaw, mabibigyan tayo ng liwanag.”
The initiative shows how access to basic necessities such as lighting can contribute to safer homes, education, mobility, and livelihood opportunities in rural and Indigenous communities.
Insurance That Creates a Wider Impact
At BDO Life, insurance is about protecting futures. Through Lights for Life, that commitment extends beyond policyholders to communities that have spent generations living beyond the reach of the power grid.
Every qualified life insurance policy purchased not only helps secure a family’s future but also contributes to bringing solar-powered light to another family working toward a better tomorrow.
For the Dumagat-Remontado communities of Quezon, that light represents more than the ability to see after sunset.
It represents hope, opportunity, and the possibility of a brighter future—one solar lamp at a time.
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