Manila Water completes first leg of water trail tours for educators

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Water, in partnership with the Department of Education, has completed the first leg of water trail workshops for public school teachers in the first year of SALIN: Lakbayan para sa mga Guro Program.

“SALIN – Lakbayan para sa mga Guro Program”, is a reinforcement and extension of Manila Water’s Lakbayan Advocacy Program. SALIN or “Transfer” is an experiential and educational tour that highlights the sustainability journey of Manila Water featuring our water trail story, water and wastewater treatment processes alongside the Company’s other sustainability programs.

For the first year of SALIN, seventy-three (73) teachers from twenty (20) public elementary schools in the East Zone of Metro Manila went on a guided tour and workshop led by Manila Water’s Advocacy and Facility Managers, in Angat Dam, Ipo Dam, La Mesa reservoir and in the Olandes Sewage Treatment Plant, to fully present and explicate the water trail, from the raw water source up to the treatment of wastewater. Aside from the tour, they were also provided with info-education materials on the said topic which they can use during discussions in class.

READ: Manila Water taps educators through SALIN program in celebration of World Water Day

Through SALIN, Manila Water hopes to accelerate change in the water situation in the Philippines, by tapping teachers to spread awareness in the responsible use of water, importance of wastewater treatment and desludging to sanitation, sustainability, and environmental protection. 

“As educators, our teachers have become the primary agents of change in the society. They have the power to lead transformations among their students and through them, we hope to instill in the minds of the youth the critical need to sustain our water sources for them to last for the future generations,” says Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water Corporate Communication Affairs Group Director.

The teachers expressed appreciation in participating in SALIN as they gain new learnings and experiences that they can share with their students.

“I will tell my students the importance of water in our lessons by sharing my experience in SALIN,” says Glen Aglinao, an instructor from Doña Josefa Marcos Elementary School.

“I will now be more confident to explain or share to my co-teachers and learners how the water is being processed from Angat Dam down to the pipeline to every household,” shares Karen Ivy Altamira, a teacher from Pura V. Kalaw Elementary School.

For 2024, Manila Water is slated to expand SALIN to cover more schools in Metro Manila, with a target of 160 teachers participating in the tour. Plans are also afoot to extend the program to the various elementary and high schools of Rizal Province.