W​AITING FOR CHANGE – Residents of Maluso watche​s as representatives of USAID BeSecure Project, Manila Water, Junior Chambers International, and the 14th Special Forces of the Philippine Army demonstrate the use of solar bag water purifier​s​​.

Several water delivery trucks from Isabela City, Basilan had been going in and out of the municipality of Maluso for the past weeks as men, women and children patiently wait for hours for their empty pails, buckets and water jugs to be filled up with their daily water supply.

 This was not the situation in Maluso in the past. They had a steady supply of water before a group of armed men bombed the Maluso Water District (MAWAD). The bombing damaged the major water pipes that served the whole town, cutting water supply for 7,195 households.

 The lack of water for several weeks had caused problems for the residents, especially the children who would suffer from stomach pains after drinking the water from the river. One of them refused to drink the water that they had collected from the rain. Heidi Sarang, a mother with three children, wanted badly to access potable water for her family.

 “Kapag umuulan, nagkokolekta kami ng tubig. Mahirap, ayaw uminom ng mga bata.

(When it rains, we collect the water. It’s difficult, the kids won’t drink the water.),” said Sarang.

 “Naiiyak ako sa sitwasyon, ang mga tao nakapila sa kalsada. Kung anong haba ng kalsada ganoon din ang mga tao (I couldn’t help but cry because of the situation, the people are queuing on the streets. The length of the road are the same as the people lining up.),” said Engr. Salie Francisco, general manager of MAWAD.

 Without water for days, Shelba Teiyad and her husband would travel two to three hours by boat even up to the late evening in search of potable water. They would always end up in the river or the streams, queuing with other residents until midnight.

 “’Yung mga bata ang iniisip namin, para makainom. Sobrang hirap kahit hatinggabi namamangka kami, naghahanap kami. ‘Pag may lumabas na tubig sa isang lugar, pumupunta kami. (The needs of our children to have drinking water are important to us. It’s very difficult for us, even at midnight we go out on our boat in search of water. When we learn of a water source in another place, we go there.),” said Teiyad, a mother of two.

Responding to the urgent need for potable drinking water for the residents of Maluso, Coca Cola Foundation immediately sent 2,147 bottles of 1.5 gallon Wilkins Purified Water while 275 solar bag water purifiers were donated by Manila Water Foundation. This is in partnership with the U.S. Embassy Manila’s United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Water Security for Resilient Economic Growth (Be Secure) Project and Philippine Business for Social Progress. The donation was also made possible through the assistance of MAWAD, Junior Chambers International, and the 14th Special Forces Army led by Capt. Irvin R. Capeña who facilitated the transport of water and solar bag purifiers from Isabela City to Maluso on June 29.

The residents were so happy and relieved to receive the much-needed water supply.

Romar Eridahi, a father of two who works as a local assessment officer, was one of the recipients of the solar bag. Before, he would always get water in MAWAD and transport it to Maluso island by boat. But when the water pipes were broken, he had to go the rivers and streams to fetch water.

“Hindi po namin inaasahan na darating ang tulong dito sa amin. Malaking tulong nung dumating ang tubig at solar bag, lalo na dahil hindi kami sigurado sa tubig dito dahil sa panahon ngayon (We did not expect to receive such help. The drinking water and solar bag are really a big help to us especially now that we are unsure of the water supply here because of the weather.),” said Eridahi.

Currently, MAWAD’s operations have returned to normal and the water supply had been restored in the affected areas. Some residents, however, still continue to use their solar bags water purifiers.

“Sa Coca-Cola at Manila Water Foundations, malaki ang pasasalamat namin sa inyo. Sa tulad namin na uhaw sa buhay, ‘yung pangangailangan namin kahit gaano man kalaki o kaliit ang dumating (ay) malaking tulong. (To Coca-Cola and Manila Water, we are very thankful. To those of us who are thirsty in life, whatever is given to us, no matter how big or small, is already a big help.),” said Teiyad.