Kias receives P1.9M grant for water system

WATER has always been a source of life for the people of Barangay Kias.

Taking this to heart in every community project they start, Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation Inc. recently turned over P1,956,297.92 to the people of Kias to facilitate the rehabilitation of a more than two decades old community water system.

Kias village chief Timothy Pudlao welcomed this assistance extended by JVOFI in partnership with the Baguio Water District to improve the water system of the community built more than three decades ago.

Florence Pudlao, Water Consumers Association of Kias (WCAK) Inc. project manager, said that since the association's founding 24 years ago, they have survived the challenges from rehabilitating leakages in the water supply as well as constructing additional pumps to address the growing population.

A continuous monitoring of the water system is important, she added, claiming the need for unity among members of the community is also important in attaining equitable delivery of water to all households in the area.

JVOFI president Dr. Reynaldo Bautista Sr. said each member of the association should contribute in further developing the village's water systems and ensure consumers in the area get what they pay for.

Members of WCAK, Dr. Bautista urged, should continue conducting capability building activities and remain accountable to the hundreds of water consumers in the area.

He added that transparency and accountability may be shown through public posting of financial transactions of the association as well as in the election of new officers at least every three years.

This way, new set of leaders in the community should take the helm in further developing the services rendered by the association to the community, he said.

Ignacio Pangket, chairman of the WCAK Board of Directors, took this as a challenge to their members and encouraged them to attend their assemblies to guarantee all concerns of member-consumers may be addressed by the board.

Lawyer Reenan Orate, legal consultant of WCAK, added the amount given by JVOFI will be an accountability of officers who should give in return their wholehearted service to the community with nothing but honesty and public service in their mind.

He assured members who attended the turnover ceremony at the barangay's covered court, September 15, corresponding court battles await those with intention to handle funds given them inappropriately.

And to this, the next generation of residents in Kias will no longer have problems in availing clean, safe and affordable drinking water in their homes.