Hispanic Federation, HITN TV provide illumination to Puerto Rican families

The municipalities of Bayamón, Barranquitas, Loíza, Las Marías, Morovis, Ponce, San Sebastián, Utuado, Villalba, Dorado, Vega Baja, Vega Alta, San Lorenzo and Comerío will benefit from the initiative that is expected to spread throughout the island. (Jaime Rivera / CB)

SAN JUAN – In another laudable initiative to help Puerto Rican families face the hurricane season, the Hispanic Federation, along with the HITN TV Hispanic network, will deliver 18,000 solar lamps in 14 municipalities on the island.

The non-governmental organization’s collaborative initiative with the Spanish-language educational and entertainment content broadcaster was officially announced at WIPR studios. The radio station has an alliance with HITN through “Puerto Rico Contigo,” new series that shares economic recovery stories on the island in the aftermath of last year’s hurricane season.

“Since Hurricane Maria struck the island last year, Puerto Rico has been suffering from power failures. As this year’s hurricane season begins, what could happen is not yet known, so an alternate plan will be needed in the event of a new emergency that leads to further blackouts,” HITN President and CEO Michael Nieves said in written remarks.

“The commitment we have to the island, not only in the business aspect, continues and will continue later. With this effort, we have managed to distribute 18,000 solar lamps. Since we saw the impact of Hurricane Maria, it is necessary to prepare ourselves against any weather phenomenon,” added HITN Puerto Rico General Manager José Hernández, while assuring that the network will continue supporting all the worthy causes in Puerto Rico’s rebuilding process.

Keila Fontánez, Hispanic Federation’s operations coordinator (Jaime Rivera / CB)

For her part, Keila Fontánez, Hispanic Federation’s operations coordinator, emphasized that this aid is small compared with the work that remains to be done, work for which she urged the island’s mayors to take a lead on and to strengthen their leadership in their respective municipalities.

“The power that mayors and local governments have is important and must be reinforced. People continue to suffer and unable to relieve the horror of having anxiety and the stress of not being able to receive drinking water or power in their homes,” Fontánez stressed in a choked voice. She also said that, to date, the Hispanic Federation has delivered more than seven millions pounds of supplies such as water and food, as well as $27 million for 70 groups, and expects to distribute more than 100,000 additional solar lamps.

“Local government is a very important resource…we want to strengthen the country,” Comerío Mayor José “Josian” Santiago, the former president of the Mayors Association, said. “The mayors are going make sure these lamps reach where they need to be and those who really need them.”

Families from the municipalities of Bayamón, Barranquitas, Loíza, Las Marías, Morovis, Ponce, San Sebastián, Utuado, Villalba, Dorado, Vega Baja, Vega Alta, San Lorenzo and Comerío will benefit from this small, but significant, aid.

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