Project Information

The third phase of the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE 3) pursued rural electrification through a more commercial approach and with stronger community buy-in. Technology options on solar PV and micro-hydro power systems have diversified and scaled up. School electrification and water projects complemented and enhanced the social and economic benefits that electricity delivers to the target beneficiaries. The Program supported the electrification of over 400 barangays, 12,000 households, and 150 schools to facilitate improved delivery of education services to over 35,000 students, as well as improved water supply and energy for productive social and economic applications. Building on the gains of AMORE 1 and 2, Winrock implemented AMORE 3 as a public-private partnership in the Philippines that aimed to expand access of households and organizations to modern electricity and other energy services by strengthening local entrepreneurship and market-based approaches. AMORE 3 was designed to contribute to energy independence for the Philippines with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Final Performance Evaluation determined the extent and process by which the AMORE 3 Program achieved its targets and how it contributed to peace and development initiatives in Mindanao, through the provision of electrification and related social services to disadvantaged communities in conflict-affected and post-conflict areas. The evaluation documented and analyzed the experiences of AMORE 3 to serve as a reference for future rural electrification projects to be pursued by USAID in other countries, by the Government of the Philippines (specifically DOE), or by partner organizations such as Sunpower Foundation.

SDS study team performed process evaluation of AMORE 3s implementation period from 2009 to 2013. The evaluation described lessons learned and how processes, practices, policies, and partnerships evolved through more than a decade of rural electrification work in remote conflict areas.

SDS team utilized qualitative and quantitative methods to obtain the data or information necessary to evaluate the program; and documented good practices and lessons learned. In details, data collection that were carried out were :
- Quantitative method- household survey (HHS) was the primary data collection method that was used to describe beneficiaries conditions before and after the AMORE 3 program. A total of 846 respondents were interviewed who were randomly selected beneficiaries of the household electrification and the community-based WASH programs.
- Desk review of various sources of information from AMORE 3 Program and Philippine government that included contracts; quarterly and annual reports; work plans; M&E plans; final report of AMORE 3; updated development, energy and rural electrification plans; USAID Gender Policy; amongst others.
- Qualitative methods. A total of 19 Focus group discussions were completed. The FGDs were designed and conducted to describe the effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and gender considerations of the AMORE 3 program interventions, namely; household electrification (HE), School electrification and distance education (SEEd), and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) from the standpoints of the target beneficiaries and community-based organizations (CBOs) such as the following: Households (HHs) that benefitted from the HE and/or WASH interventions; Schools that benefitted from the SEEd and/or WASH interventions; BRECDAs which were organized by AMORE to manage the HE interventions, and strengthened by AMORE through training on renewable energy (RE) technology and business development; and, BAWASAs, which were strengthened by AMORE 3 through training and participation in the implementation and management of the WASH interventions. The participants of the focus groups were household beneficiaries, school officials, PTAs, school teachers and students, BRECA and BAWASA officers.

The evaluation team conducted a total of 32 key informant interviews (KII) with 39 informants. The KII assessed the effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of the processes and strategies utilized in AMORE 3 and their contribution to program sustainability. It documented good practices and lessons learned which will serve as reference for future RE projects. The processes and strategies include but are not limited to social preparation, training and other capacity building activities, public-private partnerships, tapping entrepreneurs to supply the PV systems, micro-financing for solar home systems, and the utilization of BRECDAs as PV suppliers in communities.

KIIs were conducted primarily among the AMORE 3 stakeholders who had first-hand knowledge about the program. These consisted of the partners (companies or foundations), PV systems suppliers, LGUs, Winrock International, former AMORE 3 staff, USAID, Department of Energy, and women technicians. The respondents were selected from the list of stakeholders provided by USAID. The basis for the stakeholders selection was the significance of their role or participation in the project as gathered from the review of secondary data.