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ILOILO
CITY, Oct. 3 (PNA) – The Spanish government has made possible a potable
water system and electrification project for the people of a remote
barangay in Barangay Cabatangan, Lambunao in Iloilo province.
Lambunao
municipal agrarian reform officer (MARO) Elmer L. Loreno said the
Spanish government, through the efforts of Agrarian Reform Assistant
Secretary for Foreign Assisted Projects Kashmir Leyretana, financed the
construction of the potable water system and solar panel project to the
tune of P1 million.
As
its counterpart, the municipality was responsible for the construction
of a reservoir where a submersible pump which will be powered by the
solar energy was placed.
Loreno
said the structures for the potable water system that included a steel
tank which can accommodate 20 to 30 cubic meters of water and 15 tap
stands were already completed.
The project would initially benefit 49 households situated at the barangay proper.
Meanwhile,
Loreno said of the five initial solar panels that were proposed, bulbs
were already installed in three houses and the remaining two were
reserved for the barangay hall.
“The solar panels can provide electricity for lighting and cater to television appliance,” he explained.
The plan, however, he said is to cover the entire seven sitios of the barangay.
Cabatangan was declared as a special agrarian reform community (SARC) by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
Through
its Support Program Technology (SPOT) for Agrarian Reform Communities
(ARCs) it is expected that government agencies would pool their
resources to develop this far-flung barangay with DAR as the lead
agency.
Loreno
added that Mayor Reynor Gonzalez is now looking for ways to develop a
mini-hydro power in the area given the barangay’s more than 20
waterfalls as sources.
Barangay Cabatangan is the farthest barangay of Lambunao, a haven to hundreds of indigenous people known as Panay-Bukidnon.
It
is 30 kilometers away from the poblacion. Transportation is available
only up to its adjacent barangay, Bagongbong, which is about 20
kilometers from the town proper.
One
has to travel by foot for another 10 kilometers or about five hours
passing through a very steep trail in order to reach the barangay
proper. (PNA)
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