LGUs to attend global water safety conference

To ensure the quality of water being used in the major government hospitals and health care institutions under their supervision, several local government units are sending participants in the first-ever Global Water Safety Conference and Exhibition jointly sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Water Association (IWA) to be held next month in Palawan.

Roger Borja, president of the Philippine Water Works Association (PWWA), coorganizer with the IWA, said the event will be held on April 25-29, at the Aziza Paradise Hotel in Puerto Princesa City in partnership with the WHO and the Department of Health.

Participating local government units will be led by Governor Jose Alvarez and Mayor Lucilo Bayron of the host province and city who will also formally welcome the delegates.

Borja said that the private sector is also supporting the event through participation in the companion product exhibition.

The IWA is leading the exhibitors together with Maynilad and Manila Water, Brixton Construction and Industrial Supply Corp., Chemical Research Products Industrial Sales, Houston Hydrotech Products and Systems, MIG Systems, Enzed Trade, United Business Media of Malaysia, Inframachineries Corp., Reftec Industrial Sales, Unifi Enterprises, BSPH Marketing (Bentley System), AVK Philippines, Gotesco, Geonobel, Aluminates Metering Supply, Crystalla Enterprises, Primewater Geodata Systems Tech, Neltex, CG Integra Corp., Unique International, Concord Metals, Co Ban Kiat hardware, SRDP Consulting Inc. and Keypro Oy, Metasystems Development, Rainbowgeo Scientific Corp., APA Fortune Trading, RRY Enterprises and Ebara Pumps.

Health Secretary Janet Garin will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker in the opening of the four-day event which is expected to draw attendance from here and abroad in view of the participation of a heavy cast of international experts led by Dr. David Cunliffe of Australian DOH and Asoka Jayaratnes of the Yarra Valey Water to discuss various topics of interest in the technical sessions.

WHO and the IWA will be represented in the affair by Angella Rhinehold, an Alex Von Hilderbrand and Ganesh Pangare and Oliver Scholl, respectively.

On the local side, Ramonito Fernandez, president and CEO of Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Virgilio Rivera, president of the Manila Water Philippine Ventures and Asia Pacific will also serve as keynote speaker during the scheduled plenary session.

Interested participants, including exhibitors are requested to contact the PWWA secretariat c/o Neneth Javier and Norma Luarca at tel. nos. 9207145 ( telefax), 9278781 and cp 09178030125 or email