Written by Audy G. Reginalde and Pablo B. Paet Jr.
A portable water system was turned over to the Barangay Water Association (BWSA) and Barangay Local Government Unit of Salegseg Sitio Lower Poblacion, Balbalan, Kalinga Province, Philippines on June 17, 2023. The project is through the support fund provided by MISEREOR and implemented by the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development Inc. (PAFID) in partnership with the local government unit and inhabitant’s local water associate. The water system responded to the long-awaited dreams of the community to subdue water borne related diseases experienced by the community particularly during the rainy season. The water system benefitted 47 household, and institutional facilities that includes a Rural Health Unit (RHU), monastery, church, school, and cooperative.
The system features a constructed L-shaped intake catchment box, a 2.9-kilometer transmission line, a ferrocement reservoir with 6,000 liters capacity, and a distribution line totaling 2,570 meters. The water system is a combinatio of level 2 and 3 with two tapstand faucet. During the formal turn-over, Antonio Balinhawang of PAFID, a technical specialist on water system thanked the community’s voluntary participation in providing the necessary labor counterpart that eventually leveraged a community-driven owned potable water system. He emphasized that the success of constructing the water system is just a beginning and it is the long-term maintenance and protection of the system that is crucial to the development of sustaining the benefits provided. One way of ensuring long term use of the project is the application of skills learned by the technical maintenance members of trained BWSA staff during the construction stage.
In pursuit of long-term sustainable benefits, he furthered that end users must observe proper use by turning off their faucets after getting their domestic water needs. He emphasized to strictly close faucets during the night time in order to maximize accumulation of water in the reservoir that will allow equittable distribution of water during day time. “In building spring fed water system, you should be prepared for a task that will tax your resolve and patience but the reward of seeing children drinking clean water from a faucet is a pure joy”, Mr. Balinhawang quoted.
In an answer conducted with a village council elder, “Kadagiti napalpalabas nga tawen adu ti agsakit nu dumteng ti matutudo ta dijay danum nga dati nga ususaren mi ket malibeg ken gapu ta diay ngato ti paggapuan na ket taltalon nga agispray pay ti agas. Daytoy nga danum nga naited ita ket mayat ta madi nga malibeg ket mainum ta nalinis.” (In the past years, many are suffering from disease during the rainy season because the water we are using in the past is peppered with impurities because on top of the source is a rice land that usese chemical sprays. This new water system is good because it does not have impurities and drinkable since it is clean.) Alfredo R. Calagui stated.
During the formal turn over, BLGU captain emphasized the role in ensuring the long-term use of the project. “Imbag pay jay bagas ta mautang ngem jay danum ket saan nga mautang daytoy water system nga naited kadatayo ket masapul la unay to komunidad ket saan a mautang ti nalinis nga danum.” (Rice grain can be purchased through debt and this water system given to us is an urgent need of the community and a clean water cannot be borrowed.) Local government unit Captain Jeff Fred B. Tabcao emphasized in his response during the ceremonies.
The turn over activities were celebrated through “Takik”, a customary dance of the Kalingas where PAFID staff and local inhabitants graced the occassions and joined the traditional dance as a gesture of tahnks and gratitude to almighty God for the project provided to this upland community based of Salegseg, Sitio Lower Poblacion, Balbalan, Kalinga Province.
