Our Water Project in the Philippines

Our project started four years ago working with our sister club Marinduque North Rotary Club.  Its location is in a suburb of Boac, the capital of Marinduque, Philippines.  About 400 families are found in an association called  Barangay Isok (a part of Boac similar to Elmwood).  For over thirty years, the Barangay had been asking the Town of Boac to improve the water supply to that area since these 400 family units had been served with only four pumps.  Water had to be collected in buckets and brought to their homes by hand.  Plans for an improved system had existed for many years but never were implemented.

Our Club was looking for a water project so when our sister club suggested the Isok Water Improvement Project, we agreed to work with them to make it a reality.  The local club sent us an estimate of the costs to drill, install all the pipelines, a pump and storage tank: a total cost of $28,000.  The Rotary Foundation approved their contribution and both clubs added their own funds.  Soon a 30,000-liter concrete storage tank was constructed above the Barangay.  A submersible pump, and pipe were also installed and homes were connected to the lines.  As of my visit, 100 homes have been connected complete with meters.  I found the water clear and of sufficient pressure to supply faucets 20’-0” above the lowest point.  The objective at this point is to reach all 200 homes with a meter at each house.  However, due to lack of funds this has not yet been accomplished.  The enthusiastic reception of the residents of the Barangay to the improved water supply has inspired the local government to decide to chip in and purchase the necessary meters.  The Barangay itself will be responsible for maintenance of the system.  They are well supplied with knowledgeable enthusiastic residents.

The residents of the Barangay are very appreciative of what the two clubs have achieved.  They stated that their lives have been made so much easier.  Especially thankful were the elderly residents for whom carrying water up to their homes main living levels was a burden.  They have water supplied all day, every day.  Even in the main part of Boac, water is available only from four in the morning to four in the afternoon.  This project is a wonderful example of what people working together can do to uplift the whole community.  The two clubs should be proud of this international project.  With everybody’s effort and a small amount of money, we were able to help a neighborhood of 2000 plus people.