There was a time when students at Cabantian Elementary School had to bring bottles of water to school, while teachers regularly purchased water gallons just to clean comfort rooms. For one of the largest public schools in Davao City’s fast-growing District 2, maintaining basic hygiene with over 2,000 students was a daily struggle. Despite these challenges, teachers worked tirelessly to provide a safe and sanitary learning environment.
That struggle is now becoming a thing of the past. With recent upgrades in Davao City’s water infrastructure—especially the conjunctive use of groundwater and treated surface water from the Tamugan River—reliable water is finally reaching classrooms and restrooms. A 2024 Davao City Water District (DCWD) survey reported a 99.6% customer satisfaction rate in Cabantian, marking a significant improvement for households, businesses, and schools striving to maintain safe learning spaces.
This development has allowed Cabantian Elementary School to fully implement the Department of Education’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools (WinS) Program. The school recently earned a 3-Star validation, the highest rating under WinS, recognizing its improved sanitation practices and access to safe water.
Today, the school boasts 24-hour water availability, enabling daily handwashing and regular cleaning of comfort rooms. Its group handwashing facility, equipped with ten functioning faucets, now meets DepEd standards—ensuring that students can practice regular hygiene, a priority in post-pandemic classrooms.
“We couldn’t really implement the WinS program before. Our learners couldn’t participate in proper group handwashing and toothbrushing activities because we didn’t have enough water,” shared Judy Omapoy, School Head of Cabantian Elementary School. “When I was first assigned here in 2022, the handwashing facilities existed, but they were unusable due to the lack of water. In 2023, we revived them, replaced and added faucets, and since then, we’ve been able to use them regularly.”
Grade 6 teacher Paler, who has taught at the school for 20 years, recalled, “Before, some children avoided using the comfort rooms because they were too dirty. For lower-grade pupils, we even had to bring chamber pots (arinola) to manage restroom needs since there was no water. Now, our comfort rooms are fully functional, which is a huge improvement for the kids.”
These improvements are part of a broader effort driven by the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP), a partnership between DCWD and Aboitiz InfraCapital’s subsidiary, Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. The project treats up to 300 million liters of water daily from the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed, designed to meet Davao’s growing water demand while reducing reliance on groundwater.
The transformation of Cabantian Elementary School is a testament to how access to clean and reliable water goes beyond utility—it becomes a foundation for health, learning, and community growth.
As Davao City benefits from these water improvements, the protection of the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed remains crucial. Because when water flows, learning grows. PR