by Franklin P. Gumapon
MALANGAS, ZamboangaSibugay – Three hundred fifty two families from the four identified barangays in this town are going to benefitfrom the Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig Para sa Lahat (SALINTUBIG) program being implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The DILG has earmarked P3.5 million forthe construction and rehabilitation of the water supply system in barangays Guilawa, Sinusayan, Overland and Buntong.
DILG-9 Regional Director Paisal Abutazil personally handed the second tranche check to Mayor Alfredo A. Atilano recently.
“With the given fund and LGU counterpart, the construction of the water system level II in barangays Sinusayan, Guilawa and Buntong as well as the rehabilitation of the water system in Barangay Overland would be completed,” said Municipal Engineer Victor L. Laguna.
Laguna also disclosed that Malangas is one of the waterless municipalities of Zamboanga Sibugay, as 13 of its 25 barangays are still getting their drinking water from level 1 sources like dug wells or shallow wells.
It was also learned that 137 families in Guilawa would benefit from the water system project, 90 in Sinusayan, 85 in Overland and 40 in Buntong.
Moreover, Director Abutazil reported that 35 municipalities had already implemented the water supply project under the 2013 Salintubig fund in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
SalinTubig provides potable water to poor communities with no or limited access to safe drinking water, as part of the government’s effort to achieve Goal No. 7, specifically Target 7C of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to halve by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
