The community had been dreaming for decades of having a project to address the lack of potable water in an island-barangay in Caluya, Antique.
Today, the dream is now a reality after the rain feed water system funded and built by Kalahi-CIDSS in Barangay Sibolo is completed.
Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee chair person Dan Francisco said the rain feed water system could provide them with potable water for at least 15 days. It can serve 104 households.
Francisco said they need not go to Occidental, Mindoro and mainland Caluya to get potable water. He said it will take at least an hour of motorboat ride from the town proper to reach Sibolo. It is also dangerous to travel on sea during heavy rains and storms.
The project is very beneficial to the community. It will cut down our expenses on water and same time lessens the danger in travelling during bad weather, he said.
Francisco said boiling the collected rain water is much cheaper than buying a 20-liter of water for P60. P60 is already a considerable amount to people who have no stable income every month.
Most of the people rely on seaweed farming and fishing for their income. Catching coconut crab or tatus is also one of the sources of income of the residents in the island.
The water coming from deep well is salty. The people only used it for bathing and for other household purposes but not as drinking water, he said.
The community is also planning to save some collected rain water for summer months when water is scarce. During heavy rains, people also gather water for their own consumption, said Francisco.
The community is very grateful to Kalahi-CIDSS and the local government unit for providing them projects such as the rain feed water system and school building, he said.
The hardship of the community volunteers paid after these projects are completed. Children in the community are also enjoying the comforts of the school building funded by Kalahi-CIDSS, he said. # (dswd6/Maricar Calubiran)

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