Don Bilaos at 109 and the Windmill of the Future

At 109, Don Lauro Bilaos of Barangay San Jose in Malilipot, Albay is not just a centenarian — he is living heritage. The oldest reported living man not only in Bicol but perhaps in the entire country, Don Lauro has witnessed the world evolve from kerosene lamps to solar panels, from wooden carts to electric tricycles. Yet in his twilight years, one dream remains: to see the day when the power that lights his home no longer costs a small fortune.

My husband and I had the golden opportunity to meet him and his family of younger generations this past week. It was a personal promise I had long made — to talk face to face with the oldest living person in the country before he passed. And I did. But after our meeting, I realized there was no need to hurry. Don Lauro still exudes a quiet strength, his mind sharp and his spirit light. Except for his weak legs and hearing, he is poised to live more years — perhaps like his father who reached 122 and his mother who lived to 126.

His lifestyle is as simple as his philosophy: live each day with gratitude. He eats root crops and vegetables, avoids processed food, prays daily, and walks from the tinampo to the far end of the family compound. When we visited, there was no electricity in his modest home — a common occurrence, his relatives said. Yet Don Lauro never complained. He smiles often, contented with the little light that the day brings.

That Thursday, I was also overseeing the strategic planning preparations at Mariners Legazpi. Fresh from a meeting in Naga City, I received updates about a forthcoming visit to Mariners Canaman by a project team working on the first large-scale wind power project in Camarines Sur — and in the entire Bicol Region — with an estimated capacity of one gigawatt or 1,000 MW. Don Lauro has relatives in Camarines Sur who may someday benefit from the cheaper, cleaner energy that this wind farm promises.

I had written in a previous column about the billions of pesos in nature-based energy investments coming to five coastal towns through a Danish firm – the Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners that believes cheap electricity can uplift impoverished communities. If realized, these towering turbines will not only catch the wind but also harness the hopes of generations — of farmers, fisherfolk, and yes, of elders like Don Bilaos who have endured long nights of brownouts and high-power bills.

But even as we hope for progress, we must be vigilant. Thousands of fisherfolk and their families in the project sites could face displacement — one of the most serious social risks of large offshore or nearshore wind projects. This deserves urgent concern and action from all stakeholders.

For too long, the story of energy in our region has been one of dependence and delay. We import power, pay more than we should, and wait endlessly for progress that often arrives late — if at all. The windmills of San Miguel Bay in Camarines Sur could change that narrative. They could make renewable energy not just a slogan but a lived reality for families from Albay to Sorsogon. This is set to become the first and biggest offshore wind (OSW) farm in the Philippines — a bold promise for Bicol. Yet it is also daunting, for the billions invested could easily be lost to corruption if vigilance falters.

Born on August 17, 1916, Don Bilaos has lived through more than a century of darkness — both literal and historical. He has seen 17 presidents since Aguinaldo’s time, survived two world wars, and endured eras of economic crisis and disillusionment.

To him, progress has always moved slowly. Though “Don” is a nickname, it fits: he owns several hectares of land but views wealth not in property but in sharing. “I just let them enjoy it,” he said of his children and grandchildren.

Yet time is no longer his luxury. Should he not, in his lifetime, see a light that is both affordable and sustainable?

The windmills of the future — if built right — could bring that light. They must rise tall and sure, not as monuments to greed but as symbols of what we can achieve when integrity and innovation work hand in hand.

If realized, these white towers will dance with the same wind that once carried fishermen’s sails and typhoon clouds — now harnessed to power homes like that of Don Bilaos. The windmill of the future is more than a machine. It is a promise — that progress can honor both people and planet.

Let the engineers, the scientists, the Marineros, social entrepreneurs and leaders move fast, and move clean. Let the wind of Bicol turn not only turbines but hearts — toward a future where even the oldest man among us can say, with a smile, “Naranasan ko man an kinaban na malinig asin mahamis.” (I have lived to see a world that is clean and bright.)