Saturday, May 24, 2008 Rural waterworks gets Dutch expert to improve systems
THE Barili Integrated Water System is the first Cebu-based project this year that availed itself of the free technical consultancy services offered by an independent organization based in the Netherlands and funded by the Dutch Government.
This organization, called Programma Uitzen-ding Managers (PUM) Netherlands, deploys experts who will provide technical assistance to companies and local government units.
PUM assigned Wim de Haas to assess the water system of Barili town, where drinking water is available for only about four hours a day. Haas arrived early this month and left yesterday after handing his recommendations to Barili Mayor Teresito Marinas.
Marinas, in a press conference Wednesday, said his town’s waterworks is the product of a partnership between the local government unit and the Australian Government in 1995.
“It’s a water distribution utility operated by the local government at a very cheap price. Its sources of water include springs from Mantayupan and Bolokbo-lok,” he said. “Since it started operation, it could not provide 24-hour service; it can only (provide water for) at least four hours a day. (This) is ironic when Barili has 16 active springs.”
Since he is not an expert on water systems, Marinas said he sought outside help.
Assess
He was introduced to PUM through its local representative in Cebu, Emma Ramas, who said that PUM experts have successfully completed projects in various sectors, including furniture, bakery, spa and wellness, and information technology, among others.
Marinas said the Municipal Government has asked PUM to allow Haas to come back after six months to assess the effectiveness of the programs he had recommended to the local government.
In a follow-up interview yesterday, the mayor said Haas recommended the construction of additional pipeline and reservoir, as well as the utilization of another spring to augment the town’s water supply system.
“We hope to implement these. But we have to consider how much it will cost us. We might seek the help of a congressman or senator,” Marinas said.
Barili’s water system is among the 15 Cebu-based PUM projects targeted for this year. The projects have a combined investment of at least P6 million, said PUM chief executive officer Thijs Van Praag.
Praag said PUM projects are “relatively cheap” because the total cost does not include the experts’ salary, which could be the largest expense.
“Instead of looking at how many euros and dollars we spent for development, we regard our projects as very efficient. In terms of output and performance, they are very impressive,” he said.
“We have to be very careful not to exploit the market, as there are also commercial consultants available. We are here to help the poor, and small and medium enterprises that cannot afford commercial consultants,” he said.
Poor areas
“Once the beneficiary is thriving, our recommendations are working, and the industry is getting richer and more developed, we pull out and go to other poor areas.”
The Dutch Government is extending its support until 2011 and is giving PUM up to 12 million euros a year, Praag said. This is why PUM cannot be in every province in the country.
He said PUM focuses on agriculture, food production and tourism. But requests for assistance still have to be evaluated, he added.
Apart from providing technical service, PUM country coordinator for the Philippines Ton Hens said that the agency also provides training in the Netherlands at no cost to beneficiaries. PUM can also create business linkages between Cebu-based organizations and possible Dutch partners to ensure the “achievement of economic development.”
Ramas cited Baker Bob whose management and staff were sent to the Netherlands for training. Following the training, Baker Bob expanded its operations, she said.
She said a Dutch expert also helped Amuma Spa at the Maribago Blue Waters develop products made of local and natural materials. “The reaction was very fast and we got many local requests from other spa and wellness (after Amuma’s success),” she added.
She said PUM is planning to hold a seminar for the local spa and wellness industry with the same Dutch expert.
The development of spa products made of local materials may even provide livelihood to farmers, said Hens.
PUM, which was established in 1978, started in the country about 10 years ago. It has 4,000 senior experts from various fields who carried out a total of 2,000 projects a year worldwide. In the Philippines, PUM ended 2007 with about 60 projects.
PUM also implements projects in more than 70 other countries. (NRC)
