Group provides potable water in poorest towns in C Mindanao

KIDAPAWAN CITY -An international humanitarian organization has provided potable water by erecting at least five water systems to at least two towns in Central Mindanao. Also, Javad Amoozegar, country director of the ACF International, said they also provided 200 communal latrines in the towns of President Roxas and Arakan in North Cotabato and in Cotabato City in Maguindanao in Central Mindanao (Region 12). The ACF, with funding from the New Zealand Aid Programme, has rehabilitated existing springs and reservoir to benefit nearly 2,000 students from schools and over 500 households or 4,000 people of these areas, Amoozegar said. The Water Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) projects started in May 2014, according to ACF. In remote villages in Arakan and President Roxas towns, clean water is so expensive and collecting it from springs on a hill is consuming and labor intensive. The family of Julieta Lacarios, 33, of Barangay Kinawayan, a hinterland village in Arakan, was among the beneficiaries. Lacarios said she used to carry gallon containers of water for drinking and domestic chores uphill to her house. But when the village’s water system was rehabilitated and a reservoir was built, Lacarios said she now fetches water from a nearer water point. Having the water point near our house is much easier for me since we do not need to walk far to get water anymore,” Lacarios said. Also, a staff of the Barangay Water Association (BAWASA) of Barangay Kinawayan is collecting monthly contributions from the members to ensure that cash is ready to cover for repairs and maintenance of the water system. Geraldine Olao, BAWASA’s collector, said they learned the hardest lesson of having and yet losing water supply because of negligence, referring to an old water system project that lost its value due to their own mismanagement. For ACF, according to Amoozegar, focusing on water crosses all aspects of development. He explained that water has direct effects to economic, health, nutrition, and gender issues. Access to safe drinking water fosters economic growth, improves education and development of children,” he said. Also, he said that the water projects could help ensure that one of the causes of malnutrition or under-nutrition can be avoided in poorest areas.