PUDTOL, APAYAO-What is life without water? Purely, we would not exist without water and for a community like barangay San Jose they recognized a communal water system a priority to address the basic but most urgent need of every household.
Valentin Mariano, resident of Barangay San Jose said community members in their village spend up to two hours collecting water, hiking to the uphill mountains in their village in order to extract water from the wells. Barangay Kagawad Angelina Simon echoed the same sentiment citing with the minimal funds they were not able to pursue the improvement of their water system.
Aside from the direct purposes of water which include drinking, bathing and cooking, water is important for the residents of the barangay in order to cultivate crops such as corn, vegetables, sweet potatoes which is one of their main source of income.
“Gapu iti minimal nga budget iti barangay ket hanmi nga maitultuloy diyay panaka-improve na isu talaga iti problema amin ditoy ta narigat danum, awan pay iti asideg nga karayan nga mabalin nga pagdigusan” (With the minimal budget of the barangay we were not able to pursue the improvement of the water system which remain a problem. We also do not have near rivers where we can bathe), added Barangay Kagawad Angelina Simon.
Through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services or KALAHI-CIDSS, Community volunteers of Barangay San Jose proposed for the improvement of Barangay San Jose Water Supply System with a total cost of Php 265, 865.00 grant from DSWD, Municipal Local Government Unit Local Counterpart Contribution (LCC) amounting to Php 45, 454. 55 and Barangay LGU LCC amounting to Php 230,000.00. Upon the approval of their proposal, the project was granted for funding.
The project was completed on 25 October, 2023 after community volunteers worked on the project for 45 calendar days. In a field visit conducted together with the members of the media, LGU-Pudtol and KALAHI-CIDSS Staff, the residents happily and proudly showed the 12 water tap stands that were built and stationed in the different areas in the barangay for the 64 household beneficiaries, adjacent areas and visitors of the barangay.
Community Volunteer Jonelyn Renon narrated she was chosen as member of the procurement team of the Barangay Development Council Technical Working Group (BDC-TWG) in charge in the implementation of the project saying she was able to learn how to canvass for the different items and transact with various suppliers.
Moreover, Barangay Secretary and Community Volunteer Juliet Mariano added that through the program she was able to learn how to prioritize and implement projects in their community. “Marami akong natutunan- kung paano magprioritize at mag implement ng project. Natutunan rin ng mga tao na maparticipate sa mga proyekto para sa komunidad.” Mariano said.
Community volunteers, local officials and residents thanked the agency, the program and staff for the relentless support and making water available for the different households. “Agyaman kami it KALAHI-CIDSS ta ninayunan da idi pondo iti barangay, nasolbar iti problema iti komunidad,” he added.
KALAHI-CIDSS program empowers communities to achieve improved access to social services, and to participate in more inclusive local planning, budgeting and implementation. It uses the Community Driven Development (CDD) approach. Through KALAHI-CIDSS and CDD, community members are empowered to identify and address the communities most pressing needs. # DSWD FIELD OFFICE CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, LAUREN A. ALIMONDO
