By Alfonso T. Ruda
SIAYAN, Zamboanga del Norte - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
through its Provincial Science and Technology Center in Zamboanga del Norte has
recently distributed 50 units of ceramic water filter to the beneficiaries of
the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) here.
The
distribution of the ceramic water filters to selected 4Ps beneficiaries aims to
make local technology work and provide solutions to the the lack of safe
drinking water in the community.
A
few years back the National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB) had declared
Siayan the poorest municipality in the country where access to safe drinking
water was a “major development concern.”
Engr.
Marcial Dahonan, provincial director of DOST-Zamboanga del Norte together with
Mayor Flora Villarosa led the distribution of the ceramic water filters last
Jan. 22 at the municipal hall to Pantawid beneficiaries.
The
recipients, 90 percent of whom belong to the Subanen tribe, were taught on the proper
use of ceramic water filters with the Municipal Health Office (MHO) tasked to
monitor its utilization by the households.
The
DOST 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 the 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.
DOST-IX
Regional Director Brenda L. Nazareth-Manzano said the grant of the water filter
to the community is one of the initiatives of the department under the project
titled “Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST).”