BAAO, Camarines Sur, Feb. 11 (PIA)--- Barangays Caranday, Sta.Teresita and Del Pilar, all of Baao, Camarines Sur can now enjoy safe and potable water after being cited as recipients of a water project jointly sponsored by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and Coca-Cola Foundation Philippine Inc. (CFFI).
Dubbed "Agos Tubig sa Barrio", the project endeavors to serve far-flung communities with nil access to potable water. Waterless barangays in the remote outskirts of the country remain part of the tasks left unfinished for the past years. The government though, as part of its Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme, encourages other partners to take part in resolving this issue.
PRRM Area Manager and Field Project Coordinator Dante Bismonte stated that the undertaking is part of PRRM's community-based projects and empowering programs which pursues to uplift the condition of the locale most specifically their health condition. Along with this, PRRM also implements Water Sanitation (WATSAN) called Tubig sa Baryo Project.
"Aside from providing waterless communities with access to safe and potable water, we also want to educate the youth and the members of the community on the importance of conserving water resources. This is also to improve the sanitation of the place and make people aware of the importance of clean water to their health,” Bismonte said in an interview.
Helping out in the said endeavor is Coca Cola Company, implementing it as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) through their foundation, the CCFPI. The foundation is supporting communities especially those in the far flung areas to have an access to potable water.
It was in 2011 when the foundation started its “Agos” Program and since then has been in aid of communities that are in dire need of safe and potable water. This is also part of the company’s way of giving back the amount of water that they have utilized in the production of their merchandise. “Agos” is a tagalog word which means flow.
PRRM, on their part, forge the said cooperation only last August 2014.
The agreement was also supported by the local government unit of Baao under the headship of its Chief Executive Melquiades Gaite. Present during the occasion is PRRM President Isagani Serrano, CCFI President Cecile L. Alcantara, Liga President Hon. Benjamin Blanquera and 5th District Representative Salvio Fortuno.
The Punong Barangays of the barangay recipients were also around to deliver their message of acceptance.
The said endeavor is also in support of the government’s health program which aims to contribute to the attainment of the goal of providing potable water to the entire country. This is also defined under the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 Millennium Development Goals (MDG), and the Philippine Water Supply Sector Roadmap and the Philippine Sustainable Sanitation Roadmap.
Dubbed as Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig Para sa Lahat or SALINTUBIG Program, it also aims to reduce incidence of water-borne and sanitation related diseases and develop a sustainable water supply to all waterless communities. (LSMacatangay, PIAV/Camarines Sur)