Emelia Abraham, 34, is one of the Kalahi-CIDSS volunteers who strived to provide a regular water supply for the 313 households of Brgy. Kanlurang Calutan in Agdangan, Quezon. In 2012, they implemented the water system level II sub-project where they installed water pump and tank, pipelines, and 20 communal tap stands to distribute water in the community.

In order to ensure continuous operation of their subproject, Emelia and the other residents of the community formed the Kanlurang Calutan Water System Association (KCWSA).  To date, the group already have a total Php10,190.92 earnings.

 

 

THE CHOICE FOR THE GREATER GOOD

Emelia Abraham, a resident of Brgy. Kanlurang Calutan in Agdangan, Quezon, now enjoys holding the hands of her two daughters than her pails of water.

“Lahat kami dito dati, ang hawak-hawak ay container habang papunta sa kabilang barangay para mag-igib ng tubig. Doon lang kasi may supply. Pero dahil sa Kalahi-CIDSS, nagkaroon ng tubig dito sa barangay namin,” said 34-year old Emelia.

The Kalahi-CIDSS or Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services is a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that aims to provide communities with access to basic social services through implementing need-responsive projects identified by the people themselves. The communities are empowered to plan, decide, and implement the sub-project.

During the first cycle of Kalahi-CIDSS in Agdangan, Brgy. Kanlurang Calutan was one of the four prioritized barangays and was allocated with PhP2.15 million grant.

The community volunteers, including Emelia who is a member of the Monitoring and Inspection Team, proposed for a water system level II sub-project to provide water supply to the 313 households of the barangay. They developed proposals and procured the needed materials to install water pump and tank, pipelines, and 20 communal tap stands in the community.

Based on their estimate, 15 tap stands can be installed with the budget. But because of bayanihan, they were able to save funds and install five more.

“Marami ang hindi na nagpabayad ng ilang araw sa kanilang gawa at inilaan na lang ang makukuhang sweldo sa pagpapagawa ng dagdag na tap stand. Kaya naman nagawa naming malagyan ng tap stands ang buong barangay,” Emelia explained.

The community volunteers also constructed a one unit communal comfort room (CR) at the central part of the barangay.

“Bukod sa water system ay napagkasunduan din namin na magpatayo ng CR sa barangay dahil walang palikuran ang ibang kabahayan. Kaya madalas ay sa damuhan lang sila dumudumi. Kung minsan ay nangangamoy na ang paligid. Kung may CR, mapapanatili ang kalinisan sa barangay,” she added.

Taking responsibility

Emelia said that the community’s hands-on involvement in making the sub-project possible gave them a strong sense of ownership to it. They are even willing to take charge of its maintenance as well.

In June 2013, the volunteers formed the Kanlurang Calutan Water System Association (KCWSA) which served as the operations and maintenance group for the sub-project. They assigned caretakers on each tap stand who manage water distribution to households which costs PhP2.00 per container.

“Naniningil kami para magkaroon ng savings. Mas malaking tipid naman ito kasi hindi na namin kailangan gumastos ng pamasahe papuntang kabilang barangay para mag-igib. Tsaka mas mahal din ang singil doon na PhP15.00 kada container,” Emelia explained who is also the bookkeeper of the KCWSA.

“May mga patakaran din kaming sinusunod para sa maayos na pagkonsumo ng tubig. Ang caretaker lang ang may susi sa metro at pwedeng magpasalok para maiwasan ang aksaya sa tubig at masingil din ng tama ang mga nag-iigib,” she added.

The collection is regularly deposited to the KCWSA’s bank account for savings on future repairs of the sub-project.

“Sa koleksyon namin nakuha ang pagpapapalit ng mga gripo sa tap stand kasama na rin ang kuntador at pump nang masira na ito. Sa ganoong sistema, madali kaming nakakakuha ng pampagawa sa mga nasisira,” she said.

Continuing development, together

As the community volunteers of Kanlurang Calutan continue to manage their water system level II sub-project, they were also now preparing for another Kalahi-CIDSS cycle of implementation in their barangay.

This time, Emelia heads the community volunteers as the Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee (BSPMC) Chairperson.

“Ang proposed project naman namin ngayon ay improvement ng barangay road papuntang E.Licup Elementary School. Maputik kasi ang daan papunta ‘dun. Bukod sa kaligtasan ng mga estudyante, gusto rin naming maayos ang daan para madaling makapag-evacuate. Ang E.Licup kasi ang nagsisilbing kandungan namin sa panahon ng bagyo,” Emelia explained.

Barangay Kanlurang Calutan is allocated with PhP1.15 million grant. The project is expected to ease the travel of 300 households in the barangay.

Though happy with the new project, Emelia shared she sacrificed a work opportunity to volunteer again for Kalahi-CIDSS.

“Sa totoo lang ay dapat lilipat na kaming mag-anak sa Batangas dahil mamamasukan ako sa isa naming kakilala. Libre na ang tirahan namin dun. Pero hindi muna kami tumuloy at sinabi kong kailangan ko munang gampanan ang tungkulin ko dito bilang volunteer,” Emelia shared.

“Kung bukal naman kasi sa loob mo, hindi ka na magdadalawang isip na mag-volunteer ulit. Malaking bagay na rin sa akin na nagkakaroon ako ng dagdag kaalaman dito lalo na’t grade six lang ang natapos ko. At hanggang kaya ko, gagampanan ko ang tungkulin ko para sa ikagaganda ng aming barangay,” she humbly added.

As long as the community members are committed to improve their barangay, Emilia is more willing to offer her service even if it costs her a good chance to make her own life better. For her, it is more worthy and fulfilling to work for the greater good.