RESIDENTS in the remote village of Lampitak in Tampakan, South Cotabato, and Barangay Dukay in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, are now enjoying accessible and safe water after the completion of the potable water supply (PWS) projects in their villages.
The Lampitak PWS system, which has been operational for a year, is servicing around 600 households who used to depend on deep wells, river and spring as sources of water for their daily use.
Jocelyn Makiling, a 55-year-old mother of four, said her family used to fetch water around 15 times a day before using a wellspring as their source, which takes about 15 minutes to 20 minutes to walk from their house.
“Now, we do not have to walk anymore because we get our water from a tap stand just behind our house,” she said. Now, doing household chores like cleaning and washing, as well as for taking a bath, is much easier, she added.
“Because the water supply is now more accessible, we do not have to collect water from the river, especially for bathroom use and washing clothes,” said Benedicto Hongoy, another resident.
Unlike before, there are no reported cases of residents getting sick from the water supply, he added.
The P4.3-million project is funded and implemented by the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) under its Intensified Building Up of Infrastructure and Logistics Development or I-BUILD. The PWS system is also the first PRDP subproject to be completed.
The Lampitak Waterworks and Sanitation Association (Lamwasa) has started to collect a monthly fee of P20 for maintenance purposes.
Lamwasa President Montemar Masamiloc said they are working to elevate the PWS system into the next level, which will directly bring water to every household.
Currently, the Level 2 system requires water to be accessed through tap stands and shared by a number of households in the community.
“We will not just stop until we progress in the stage that all households, whether far from the PWS, will have an easy access to the clean and safe water,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents in Barangay Dukay have benefited from the PWS project months after its completion, including residents from adjacent barangays who live near the village.
Warlita Peñaredondo recalls the time when it was difficult to get water from the deep well around their house, also citing instances when they would experience stomach ailments.
“I never expected we can have a more accessible and clean water source,” she said. Peñaredondo’s household has a designated tap stand, usually shared by more than five households near her.
The P9.8-million Numo-Dukay PWS system is expected to service the barangays of Dukay and Laguinding, with around 1,000 households.
Image credits: Gian Enrique