THE five barangays and Indigenous People (IP) communities where the bulk water project will traverse will be getting P1-million each for community projects a year.
This bulk water project is a joint venture between the Davao City Water District (DCWD) and Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. It is expected to supply 300 million liters per day of water to the water systems of Dumoy, Calinan, Tugbok, Panacan, Cabantian, Talandang, Mandug, and Indangan.
Tapping Tamugan River as the water source of this project, the pipes will traverse through the barangays of Tawan-tawan, Wines, Gumalang, Tamugan, and Tambubong.
Although these barangays will not be able to directly benefit of the tapped water from Tamugan River, Apo Agua General Manager Cirilo C. Almario III said each barangay will be given a share of a million per year once the bulk water project is already operational. A separate P1 million annual share will also be given to community of the Ovu Manobo in the area.
“We will give this amount that will serve as their share for the bulk water project. We are hoping they are going to use it for the water supply of their barangay but of course, they can use it on whatever they deem it necessary for the residents,” Almario said.
As a means to connect with the community, DCWD deputy spokesperson Jovanna Cresta Duhaylungsod said they are currently providing employment to some of the residents as forest guards. These forest guards are the ones guarding against kaingin and illegal tree cutting. They are also trained of the Wash program or the Water Sanitation Hygiene, which is launched to educate the nearby community of the importance of keeping the water source clean.
The bulk water project is estimated to cost P12 billion and is already currently waiting for the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the conversion permit while detailed design and engineering is being done as well. The project proponents target the project to be completed and be fully operational by 2021.