CDC, groups ink P250,000 water project for Aetas
- Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=849758
- Monday, January 25, 2016
- (Sun.Star Pampanga)
CLARK FREEPORT -- About 200 residents, mostly Indigenous People (IP) in Sitio Haduan will soon have access to potable water through the partnership of the state-owned firm and private water firm operating here amounting to P250,000.
This was learned after the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Friday (January 22) among Clark Development Corporation (CDC), Manila Water Foundation (MWF), Clark Water Corporation (CWC), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and Aeta Indigenous Cultural Community (ICC) for the establishment of water supply project for the tribal community in Marcos Village, Mabalacat City.
The potable water project for the IPs was dedicated to former CDC External Affairs Department (EAD) Manager Angelo C. Lopez, Jr. who is also a veteran journalist and broadcaster in Pampanga.
CDC president Arthur P. Tugade, MWF president Ferdinand Dela Cruz, CWC General Manager Maidy Lynne Quinto, Marcos Village Tribal Chieftain Roy Tanglao, and NCIP Director Salong Sunggod signed the MOA.
The state-run firm's share is P125,000 which will be sourced from its budget allotment for water projects, while MWF through its Ahon Pinoy water provision project will share P125,000.
According to MWF officials, the Haduan water is expected to be complemented on February 21.
In a speech, Tugade underscored that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sharing with fellow Filipinos never end with one project.
"It (CSR project) is a continuing affair with the community, sharing to be noble, to be worthwhile must be a continuing romantic relationship between those who can afford and those who are in need,” Tugade added.
The water project, according to Tugade, is CDC’s commitment to those who are in need. The top exec said further, “if you have, you must share and then you will realize what it is to have.”
In 2015, Sitio Haduan requested, through the late Lopez, for water supply facility, and after complying with the required processes, MWF and CDC agreed to jointly fund the water facility which will be later on transferred to the community to serve as their source of water.
CDC-EAD said the project will involve the rehabilitation of the existing water well with hand pump.
The project, in time for the summer season, is expected to benefit the residents and reduce the travel time from one hour to at least few minutes in fetching potable, once the project is completed.
Haduan residents had to deal with lack of water and struggle on a daily basis to secure safe drinking water by walking an hour roundtrip to the creek.
Roy Tanglao, tribal chieftain of Sitio Haduan, expressed gratitude to the state-run firm and partner agencies for the water project.
“Malaking tulong sa komunidad ang patubig na ito na bigay ng CDC, sa amin talaga, mahirap ang tubig, kapag nag-iigib pa kami, nagbabaon pa kami ng pagkain para makatipid sa oras,” Tanglao said.
Also present during the MOA signing was the family of late CDC manager, Remedios Ocampo Lopez and lawyer Angelo Lopez III.
The younger Lopez shared that Sitio Haduan is close to his father’s heart. The project according to him fulfills the dream of his father to help the tribal community in Haduan.
“Ako’y nagpapasalamat sa proyekto ng CDC sa pangunguna ni Atty. Tugade kasama ng MWF at CWC. Dahil sa proyektong ito (Haduan water project) na inialay sa kanyang memory (Sonny Lopez), maisasakatuparan yung makakasama namin siya duon (Haduan) in spirit, maging ang mga pangarap niya para sa Haduan,” Lopez said.
Also present during the MOA signing were Noel F. Manankil, VP for Admin and Finance, Perlita M. Sagmit, VP Legal Affairs, Evangeline G. Tejada, VP Business Development and Business Enhancement Group, Alveen H. Tabag, VP Engineering; Rommel C. Narciso, AVP, EAD and other officials of CDC, MWF, CWC, NCIP and tribal leaders of Haduan.