Saturday, February 25, 2006

WATER…BASIC TO LIFE ROTARY’S WORKING ON IT

By: PAG Vady Marin and Rtn. Megs S. Lunn

To most of us, water is such a common fact of life that we don’t realize what a precious resource it is. Clean water is essential for life and health. Yet, most people in developing countries, including the Philippines, do not have enough water for household use, more so for drinking purpose.
The province of Aklan, where the Rotary Club of Kalibo, RI D3850 is situated, is composed of 17 municipalities, most of which are agricultural rural communities. Although the municipal town centers have potable water supply, the outlying barangays especially in far-flung areas where majority of the poor people live, do not have access to safe water. It is to be expected then that, during rainy season, outbreaks of diarrhea diseases among children occur every year as evidenced by increased consultations in health centers and admissions in hospitals. A good example is in Barangay Aquino, Ibajay, Aklan where people suffered of typhoid fever for lack of potable water just this February.
Potable Water Management is one of the major thrusts of Rotary International.
In line with the thrust to have access to clean and safe water, and in support to the Community project of the RC Kalibo, District Assistant Hyun Song Lee of Rotary Clubs of Sae Onyang and Director for International Service and Woon Young Yeo of the Rotary Club of Onyang and Rotary Club of Onah, R.I. District 3620, South Korea came last September 2005 to RC Kalibo to donate directly the amount of US$3,600 for the potable water project.
The project is geared to help increase the percentage of households with access to safe water by providing water pumps to rural communities. With the money, water pumps were installed in twelve {12} barangays. Each water pump serves at least fifteen {15} clusters of houses, benefiting about 90 inhabitants per cluster.
In addition, there were two {2} Drinking fountains installed at Aklan National High School for Arts and Trades, Kalibo, Aklan, and one (1) direct line connection to the system of MKWD was done. Some 17 deep wells with jetmatic pumps were installed on the following depressed areas:

2 units – Brgy. Andagao, Kalibo 2 units – Brgy. Pook, Kalibo
2 units – Brgy. New Buswang, Kalibo 2 units – Brgy. Old Buswang, Kalibo
1 unit – C. Laserna St. Purok 3, Kalibo 1 unit – Brgy. Tinigao, Kalibo
1 unit – Brgy. Tigayon, Kalibo 2 units – Brgy. Pinamuc-an, New Washington
1 unit – Brgy. Tugas, Makato 1 unit – Brgy. Jawili, Tangalan
1 unit – Poblacion, Tangalan 1 unit – Brgy. Estancia

All the expenses in the construction were of the Rotary Clubs of Kalibo and the three Rotary Clubs from Korea.
With this water Management project, safe and potable water supply is now available in the above stated places. Hopefully, the project will help reduce the incidence of food-borne and water-borne diseases among children in the community; reduce the financial burden to the community’s indigent population brought about by hospitalization and other medical expenses; and improve the health and well-being of the children of the community. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com






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