Tudela gets waterworks expansion

CEBU, Philippines - The town of Tudela in Camotes Islands, northern Cebu has secured P12.5 million worth of waterworks expansion project that is expected to benefit at least five of its barangays.

The Capitol, in a report, said it already started last month the bidding process for the supply of labor, materials and other expenses for the installation of water lines and fire hydrants in Barangays Calmante, Northern Poblacion, Southern Poblacion, General, and MacArthur up to the Bukilat Cave which is a popular tourist destination in the town.

About P7 million of the budget came from the provincial government as a recipient of the Performance Challenge Fund of the Department of Interior and Local Government. The rest of the required budget was secured through the Bottom-up-Budgeting mechanism of the Department of Budget.

Tudela Vice Mayor Greman Solante said they decided to use the money for the project so more barangays can have access to water. In Tudela, the water source is located about 2.5 kilometers away from the provincial road which serves as the main thoroughfare in the town.

In 2014, the Capitol already spent P3 million for the construction of spring box near the water source in Barangay MacArthur.

The municipal government also utilized P600,000 to proceed with the installation of lines from the water source down to the provincial road in the lower part of MacArthur. However, amid the extreme heat brought by El Niño, the volume of water that bubbled up from the water source has reportedly lessened.

With the installation of a water system, Russel Martinez, officer-in-charge of the Municipal General Services Office, said they will be able to manage their water supply if drought comes again.

Tudela is a fifth income class municipality with a population of 9,859 based on the 2010 census. It is the least populous municipality in Cebu. In the 2013 elections, it had 7,866 registered voters. —(FREEMAN)