Water project to benefit Borbon residents

CEBU, Philippines — Around 3,000 to 5,000 households in the coastal areas of Borbon are expected to benefit from a ?50-million waterworks rehabilitation project funded by the Cebu Provincial Government.

Mayor Nico Dotillos said the assistance from Governor Pamela Baricuatro will focus on improving water distribution across several barangays along the municipality’s coastal areas.

“Multiple barangays ni kuhaon. Kay all throughout the coastal areas man ni,” Dotillos said in an interview.

He said the project will involve the rehabilitation and improvement of Borbon’s waterworks system, particularly its ageing network of pipes that has struggled to keep up with the municipality’s growing population.

“Ang among gi-address kay ang mga karaan na pipes kay sa una pa g’yud nga panahon kay nagkadaghan na baya ang mga tao,” he said.

According to Dotillos, the municipality has several water sources, but the distribution of the supply has remained a major problem for residents.

“Although daghan og source jud, but the distribution is the huge problem. Mao na nga nangayo mig tabang sa governor,” he said.

The ?50-million assistance is expected to help establish a longer network of larger pipes that will allow water to flow more efficiently toward the coastal communities.

Dotillos said the project is expected to make a significant difference not only to the municipal government but, more importantly, to thousands of residents who rely on the water system.

The mayor said the municipality is targeting to complete the project in less than a year, with the improvements expected to address the water distribution problem in the coastal areas.

He expressed confidence that once the project is completed, the water distribution concerns affecting the coastal communities can largely be addressed.

“I believe nga if ma-realize na ni siya, wala na g’yuy problem sa coastal areas,” he said.

The project comes as Borbon continues to deal with the challenge of providing a reliable and sustainable water supply to its growing number of residents.

Dotillos, however, said the municipality’s water concerns do not end with the coastal communities, as supplying water to the upland areas remains a bigger challenge.

He added that Baricuatro had assured the municipality that the provincial government will also assist Borbon in addressing its water needs in the upland communities. — (FREEMAN)