Due to the lack of piped water system, the residents of sitio Gaogao in Barangay Dupag had always a hard time maintaining a steady supply of water for their homes, their elementary school and Barangay Hall.
For this reason and in line with the whole-of-nation approach in developing rebel-influenced barangays, the Tabuk City Police Station (TCPS) initiated a water work system project to improve the sitio’s access to water.
“Tapnu matulungan tayo isuda ket dinamag tayo ngay nu anya ti problema da dituy ket daytuy water system ti inbaga da isu nga isu met ti inaramid tayo,” PNP-Tabuk chief PLTCOL Radino Belly said in an interview.
The project was started on March 6 and required the installation of 1.3 kilometers of water pipes from the main mountain water source. The installation was a joint effort of the personnel of PNP-Tabuk led by PLT. Ruben Balanoy, barangay officials of Dupag, Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams (BPATs), police trainees, and soldiers of the Philippine Army.
PNP-Tabuk formally turned over the project to barangay officials in a simple ceremony on Tuesday, May 25.
Belly said the water work system, which was funded by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), now benefits 23 households, the Gaogao Elementary School, St. Joseph Church, and Dupag’s barangay hall.
“Dakkel ti panagyaman mi ditoy Dupag ti kapulisyaan ti Tabuk. Haan kamin nga marigatan nga mapan agsaksakdu iti danum,” Kagawad Billy Wailan said.
Wailan said the barangay officials have requested for another water work project for residents in the riverside who are also struggling to fetch and carry water on a daily basis.
“Iti kabanbantayan dita, awan pulos pagalaan da ti danum. Idiay Dupag elementary school, ti pagalaan da ti source dituy along the highway. Isu ti indanun dagituy teachers kinni Sir Belly,” Wailan related.
For his part, Belly said they are aware of the problem and would have to craft another project proposal to be submitted to the NTF-ELCAC.
By Iryll Sicnao
