By Alma L. Tingcang
BUUG, Zamboanga Sibugay - About 30 units of locally-developed water filter technology were distributed here by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-IX during the first anniversary of the Buug Subanen Workers Association (BSWA) recently.
DOST said the beneficiaries were families of BSWA, making potable water accessible to the community, which is one of the major development concerns of the government.
Ms. Melanie T. Temonio, Science Research Specialist of DOST Zamboanga Sibugay said the ceramic water filter makes local technology work for the people and provides practical solution to the current problem.
“The 30 units of water filter turned-over to the BSWA was only the initial delivery. DOST has allocated 200 units of Ceramic Water Filter to poor families in Zamboanga Peninsula region whose target beneficiaries are selected indigenous people of Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay and Siayan, Zamboangadel Norte.
Ms. Temonio said the water purification system (WPS) is a simple technology that consists of a container and filtering medium, which is the ceramic pot filter (CPF).
The ceramic filter is made up of red clay, which is coated with nano-colloidal silver as the anti-microbial agent that replaces the chlorination process in traditional water filter systems.
The ceramic pot typically sits or hangs on the top of a large plastic container, which is fitted with a tap at the bottom. A lid is placed on top of the filter to prevent contamination.
The system is capable to purify tap water, deep well water, and raw water tainted with up to 3 % suspended particles or silt and convert these into safe drinking water.
According to the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) of the DOST, the water filter has passed the Philippine National Standards (PNS) for drinking water in terms of microbiological and chemical analysis.
Meanwhile, DOST-IX Regional Director Brenda L. Nazareth-Manzano said that the grant of water filter to the said communities was one of the initiatives of the agency under the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST).
Water and sanitation is one component of CEST for the target communities in the region. It includes livelihood and economic enterprise development, health and nutrition, education and literacy, and disaster risk reduction and mitigation.