Olango school gets new water tank
The search for water is over. Students of Olango Island now have their own water system, thwarting their fears of water shortage.
Executives and employees of Taiyo Yuden Philippines Inc. led by president Toshimitsu Honda and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) turned over a rainwater catchment system to Sta. Rosa Elementary School.
The project, worth P145,955, will benefit the 800 students and teachers of the school.
“This rainwater catchment project fulfills one of our management principles, which is to contribute to the society,” Honda said during the turnover.
Rainwater stored in this storage tanks with good covers and taps is suitable for domestic consumption. The rainwater catchment also meets World Health Organization’s drinking water standards.
“This is truly the greatest gift we received from Taiyo Yuden (Philippines) and PBSP. Our water system will surely go a long way for us who’ve been suffering for water shortage for such a long time,” Sta. Rosa Elementary School principal Viviene Taneo said.
With the project, Taiyo Yuden hoped that residents would also use rain as an alternative source of fresh water, as what the company has been practicing in its plant.
“We hope that the students, teachers and community members will make good use of this project,” Honda said.
Water dangers
Olango is one of Cebu’s low-lying islands that have scarce fresh water supply. Without natural springs and rivers as their water sources, residents could only get fresh water from rain and lenses, which are accessed through deep wells. Some residents sell water at P8 to P12 per 20-liter water container.
Because of high demand for freshwater, over extraction usually happens in Olango, which resulted to saltwater intrusion.
“If this over extraction continues, time will come that all fresh water aquifers in the island will become salty and unsafe,” PBSP project officer Rey Perez said.
In Sta. Rosa Elementary School, a student needs to bring at least a container of water a day to answer the need of all 17 classrooms for their toilets, plants and cooking.
“We have to walk at least 50 meters to get to our nearest water supply,” Taneo said.
“As a graduating student, I’m glad for the younger students since they no longer have to carry heavy containers of water,” sixth grader Shane Ashley Ahat said.
The project includes management and sustainability plan to ensure that the facility is properly maintained. Taiyo Yuden Philippines also plans to replicate the project to other areas.
Green activities
The turnover of Sta. Rosa’s rainwater catchment on the first week of November is one of the activities Taiyo Yuden Philippines initiated as part of its corporate citizenship program.
Earlier in the day, employees planted 10,000 mangroves in one of the island’s shores and collected more than 50 kilos of trash during their coastal cleanup. Last October, the company also planted 10,000 trees in the Buhisan watershed.
