City Gov’t gives potable water system to Sitio Nazareth residents

KIDAPAWAN CITY – The City Government has turned-over today a potable water system project in Sitio Nazareth, Amas to the residents of Purok Ipil-ipil that is hoped to end their water scarcity, El Nino vulnerabilty and almost endless daily routine of getting unsafe water from open dug wells along a small creek of almost a hundred meters descend. Hon. Aying Pagal and the members of the Sangguniang Barangay of Amas came to share with the new milestone for the residents in the ribbon-cutting.

Purok President Ernesto Alunsagay said that they never thought this would materialize amidst disaster situations that happened in Kidapawan last year, 2019. For more than 10 years of fetching water from a well, they have the long-awaited commodity, finally. He said, their deep well was damaged in 2007 and it was not repaired until Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista has decided to put a water system to answer the peoples’ suffering especially during dry season. Mayor Evangelista put P1.3M from the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund of CY 2019 to get the project done.

The residents of Sitio Nazareth have sustained three (3) El Nino phenomenons in 2013, 2016 and 2019 without a reliable water source. The City DRRM Council have mobilized water rationing activities until El Nino was gone in 2016 and 2019 including this far flung community of Barangay Amas but it was just a relief. The place is considered as one of the drought-vulnerable communities in Kidapawan.

A teary-eyed woman has shared an experience back in the old days when they have not even a drop of water to quench their dry throat for thirst and fear while running to safety from a gun fight of an armed land conflict. Nothing was worse in their lives of that situation, she recalled… but they are thankful that the City Government has recognized their sufferings. At least we are back to normal life with a blessing in disguise, she said.

The water system is 180feet deep well, having an overhead tank, auto-filling and a chlorination pump.

The people’s next move, make the water system Level III.##(psalmer s.bernalte/cdrrmo/cio)