Manila Bulletin

Jolliville expands water services in Agoo, La Union

- By JAMES A. LOYOLA

Jolliville Holdings Corporatio­n’s subsidiary of Calapan Waterworks Corporatio­n, through Metro Agoo Waterworks, Inc. (MAWI), is expanding its services to Agoo, La Union with a project that will provide seven waterless barangays with clean and potable water.

This was announced by Agoo Mayor Stefanie Eriguel after signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with MAWI Chairman Jolly Ting and President Roderick Ongcarranc­eja.

Under the agreement, MAWI will provide water services in Barangays Ambitacay, Balawarte, San Isidro, San Manuel Norte, San Nicolas West, San Roque East and San Roque West.

MAWI Chairman Jolly Ting said “the SALINTUBIG Program in Agoo is a shining example of Public-Private Partnershi­p (PPP). It is in the cooperatio­n of these two sectors that will spur our country towards progress and economic sustainabi­lity.”

The project is being funded by a R14-million grant from the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“We value this new developmen­t as our constituen­ts are in dire need of potable water. This will have direct impact to some 2,649 families in addressing health and sanitation issues in their communitie­s,” said Mayor Eriguel.

He added that, “five barangay beneficiar­ies are located in coastal areas while the two barangays are situated in mountain ranges where there is lack of sustainabl­e water supply.”

Studies have shown that there is an inadequate sustainabl­e water source within Agoo due to the Rosario Formation, a geological unit composed of silt, sand and shale.

There is also a lack of effective water distributi­on system, inducing residents and establishm­ents to dig their own wells or buy water from vendors.

The municipali­ty of Agoo was able to acquire a financing grant from the DILG under the Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig (SALINTUBIG) Program to establish a potable water facility in the waterless barangays, or outside the initial service area of MAWI.

MAWI has a standing MOA with the local government unit of Agoo that covers the joint and mutual cooperatio­n of MAWI and the Agoo LGU in the successful constructi­on, installati­on, operation and maintenanc­e of a water supply system for the supply and distributi­on of water for domestic, industrial and/or commercial use.

MAWI launched its first water operations in Agoo in 2016. It has also expanded its service area to the southern barangays of the neighborin­g Municipali­ty of Aringay.

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