Water treatment unit for Iloilo

Sen. Richard Gordon, national chairman of Philippine National Red Cross, distributes relief goods to typhoon-affected families in Brgy. Cuartero, Jaro.



Iloilo City and three adjoining Iloilo towns are now assured of clean and safe drinking water following yesterday's launch of a major water treatment facility here.

As such, at least 40,000 locals daily from 277 barangays and villages can expect as much as 75,000 liters of safe drinking water everyday.

An added boost to portable water sanitation facilities already in place, the project was realized through the efforts of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).

PNRC Chairman Senator Richard "Dick" Gordon was in town anew in yesterday's project launching alongside a team from the Swedish Red Cross, the donors of the water treatment unit.

In a news release furnished to The News Today (TNT), the PNRC Iloilo Chapter said Iloilo was chosen with 90 percent of towns here affected by Typhoon Frank.

"Massive flooding disrupted and contaminated water supplies and as a result, water-borne diseases have become a serious threat," the news release went.

The donated water treatment facility – Water Sanitation Module 40 – can hold and process as much as 600 cubic meters of water a day.

"The Water Sanitation Module 40 is expected to benefit residents in the following areas: Pavia – 19 barangays with 39,275 population, Leganes – 18 barangays with 27,357 population, Santa Barbara – 60 barangays with 51,075 population and Iloilo City – 180 barangays with 418,710 population," the news release added.

Senator Gordon also supervised earlier installations of the four portable water treatment units donated to Iloilo and Province of Aklan.

Albeit a smaller model, "even murky waters," the PNRC said, may be processed and sanitized by the said units.

The Swedish Red Cross team was represented by Ulrika Haapaniemi, Sara Andersson, Tomas Arlemo and Jeanette Nordinbroth.

Senator Gordon was met by the PNRC Iloilo team headed by Iloilo City Councilor Ramon Cua Locsin. After the project launching, Gordon made the rounds in Jaro, Arevalo and Lapaz Districts of the city.

In Jaro, hundreds of flood victims of Barangay Cuartero received another round of PNRC relief assistance in the form of food parcels and water buckets.

"Fight, fight, fight," Gordon encouraged the affected families saying that the Ilonggo and Filipino spirit must prevail in times of calamity. He was accompanied in the Jaro relief distribution by former Cuartero Barangay Captain and ex-officio member of the city council, Marietta Orleans.

Gordon, Swedish Red Cross deliver water treatment unit for city, 3 Iloilo towns
By Florence F. Hibionada
The News Today
http://www.thenewstoday.info/2008/07/14/
gordon.swedish.red.cross.deliver.water.treatment.unit.for.city.3.iloilo.towns.html