DAR unveils water sanitation project in Pulupandan

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-south has unveiled its Communitymanaged Potable Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (CPWASH) project in Barangay Patic, Pulupandan town.

The project, to be managed by Patic Small Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative, aims to provide the community with access to a low-cost source of potable drinking water.

Dar-negros Occidental II will provide the technology and materials and trainings amounting to P80,000. These include the construction of the water and sanitation facilities like biosand filter, iron removal filter, biogas digester, and rainwater collector.

The cooperative will take charge of the labor component while the municipal government is allocating P50, 000 for other components like livelihood.

The potable water system is seen to directly benefit 65 households and 400 students and teachers of Patic Elementary School and Crossing Day Care Center in the said barangay.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Lucrecia Taberna, who led the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing with the municipal government and recipient-agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (Arbo) held at the barangay gymnasium yesterday, said the project can really help improve the potable water supply in the identified agrarian reform community.

Taberna encouraged the municipal government to replicate the project in other communities as it is beneficial not only in terms of ensuring public health.

“Community members can also gain skills and expertise for future incomegenerating activities, she added.

For his part, Councilor Alberto Jacildo, who represented Mayor Miguel Pena during the activity, said the CPWASH project may be considered small but its impact in the society is huge.

Jacildo recognized the importance of the project thus, the official said he will endorse it to the Municipal Council for replication within the locality.

Meanwhile, the operation of the potable water project is expected to start most probably starting next month./epn