THE administration of Mayor Rexlon T. Gatchalian continues to set up projects that truly serve the residents of Valenzuela City.
This time, it’s preparedness during typhoons.
In a press statement, the city government’s Public Information Office (PIO) said the Gatchalian administration opened Valenzuela’s first solar-powered clean-water system on March 25 in Del Rosario Compound, Barangay Coloong.
The PIO said the project that cost between P30,000 and P40,000 was funded by the Foundation for the Development of the Urban Poor.
The project sought “[t]o further strengthen the community’s disaster-preparedness efforts,” the PIO said.
The project was supported by Barangay Coloong officials headed by Punong Barangay Wilfredo Ramos, the Valenzuela City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office headed by Dr. Arnaldo Antonio, Carlos Oppus and Paul Cabacungan from the Ateneo Innovation Center (AIC), Benedict Balderrama from the Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies, Inc. , Erlinda Mosqueda from the Valenzuela People’s Organization Network, Angel Sales from the Technical Assistance Organization (TAO) Pilipinas Inc. and the residents of the Del Rosario Compound Homeowners Association, the project’s beneficiary.
The PIO said the water system powered by the solar system is definitely “useful” during calamities and other disasters where electricity is unstable or unavailable because they would still have access to electricity and potable water even during typhoon or any calamity period, thus the residents of Del Rosario Compound would have no problem with clean water during the period. TAO Pilipinas Inc. designed and installed the handrails in the area, while the AIC installed two units of the system, with each system composed of four rainwater-harvesting drums, a series of filters and a UV lamp powered by the solar panels.
Aside from the UV lamps, the solar panels also power the fluorescent lights and cell-phone charging stations within the facility.
The solar-powered clean-water system was first installed in Palawan in 2009, but gained traction among cities after Supertyphoon Yolanda and the infamous Bohol earthquake struck the country during the latter part of 2013. The system is very effective because more than 100 cities in the country have established such solar-powered clean-water systems in their respective communities necessary during calamities.