GINGOOG CITY - For years, villagers in Alagatan here have had a difficult time getting clean drinking water. Their situation worsened in 2022, when an armed conflict prevented them from going to the nearest spring, their only source of safe water. However, a newly completed water supply system, one that the residents have built themselves, is set to improve their standard of living.
The new water supply system, built by the villagers through a cash-for-work program, was a project implemented by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in coordination with the local government. It was unveiled recently during a handover ceremony attended by community members, local authorities and representatives of the ICRC and its partner, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
ICRC engineers designed the system, supplied the materials and equipment, and provided technical support to the construction works. Approximately 700 people will benefit from the project, and the system provides water to the barangay office, elementary school, and health center.
“People in remote areas are at a higher risk of getting life-threatening diseases if they do not have access to clean water. Having a reliable water system improves a community’s hygiene standards, and it also helps them sustain their livelihoods. This project, completed just a few weeks before World Water Day, is a step toward the improvement of living conditions in Alagatan,” said Ishfaq Muhammad Khan, head of the ICRC’s Butuan office.
The completion of the water system came just around World Water Day on March 24. Commemorated annually, World Water Day aims to raise awareness about the billions of people around the world who do not have access to clean and safe water. (Mindanao Examiner)
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