Deal inked for water system project

More than 30 households in a mountainous sitio in the city will have improved access to water through the Pag-Ibig Fund’s potable water system project.

The project was sealed with an agreement between Pag-Ibig Fund Cebu South Branch and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), which involves the establishment of a Level 2 potable water system in sitio Sayaw, Tabunan, Cebu City.

Pag-Ibig Fund Cebu officer-in-charge and department manager III Rio Teves, PBSP Visayas Regional Operations manager Jessie Cubijano and Sayaw Farmers Association president Ricardo Labora signed the agreement last June 2 at the Pag-Ibig Fund -WT Corporate Tower, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

“As a financial institution that largely deals with housing projects, we know how important water is to every household,” Teves said during the signing.

The project, worth P60,000, involves spring boxes that will collect water from springs and other natural water resources in upland areas and keep stored water safe from contamination. The project will allow two distribution stations for the households within the area.

PBSP will implement the construction of the water system as well as monitor the project.

“We want to make sure that our funds will go to projects that are more sustainable and our partnership with PBSP will ensure that these qualities are met,” Teves added.

The potable water system project signals Pag-Ibig Cebu’s commitment to adopt sitio Sayaw through the Pag-Ibig 1-4-3 program, which aims to fund long-term projects of its adopted community as corporate social responsibility.

Sayaw has difficult access to potable water and other basic social services because of its remote location.

Funds for the program, which was launched in January 2011, are obtained from P500 contributions of Pag-Ibig employees.

For years, residents from the sitio have to walk for hours to access water from the source.

“We are truly grateful to Pag-Ibig for this assistance. Now, we have a potable water facility we could call our own and the health of our children is secured,” Labora said.

Aside from the construction of the potable water system, Pag-Ibig will also join the 2011 Reforestation Caravan kickoff on June 18.