Waves After a Storm: How Cebu Pacific and Waves for Water PH Is Serving to Siargao Get Again on Its Ft
Eight months after Storm Odette, Caub Island residents nonetheless worry water scarcity disaster.
by Kyzia Maramara | August 31, 2022
It has been eight months because the extreme tropical storm Tremendous Storm Odette (Rai) devastated massive components of Visayas and Mindanao. Siargao, particularly, was one of many hardest hit. In a single day, it went from a world-famous vacationer vacation spot to Floor Zero for Odette. Within the aftermath, tons of of residents misplaced their properties and had no entry to scrub ingesting water and fundamental hygiene and sanitation providers.
Siargao was Storm Odette Floor Zero. Residents misplaced their properties to torrential rains, violent winds and waves, mudslides, and extra. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
Within the coming months after the hurricane, many would prolong assist to the residents to assist them get again on their ft. However the future doesn’t promise to be typhoon-free, particularly now that we’re headed to the height of hurricane season. That’s why catastrophe preparedness is the important thing to creating certain Siargao residents gained’t have to fret about their survival.
Cebu Pacific and Waves for Water staff up
(L-R) Cebu Pacific Company Social Accountability Specialist Roxanne Gochuico, Del Carmen Mayor Alfredo Coro, and Waves for Water Philippines Nation Director Jenica Dizon turning over water filtration methods to Caub residents. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
On August 25, Cebu Pacific and Waves for Water visited Caub Island in Del Carmen, Siargao to distribute water filters. The team-up was made in partnership with Del Carmen’s native authorities unit headed by Mayor Alfredo M. Coro II.
The 502-household group in Caub primarily depends on rainwater – a supply that may simply be contaminated as a consequence of storage and surrounding land makes use of. To assist them, Waves for Water distributed 63 water filters to the residents and a rain catchment tank giving residents 24/7 entry to potable water.
Waves for Water Philippines Nation Director Jenica Dizon and Cebu Pacific Company Social Accountability Specialist Roxanne Gochuico turning over a rain catchment tank. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
Cebu Pacific beforehand labored with the worldwide humanitarian help group Waves for Water final December. They transported over 2 tons (1,447 models) value of water filtration freed from cost throughout seven affected provinces, specifically Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Palawan, Southern Leyte, and Surigao del Norte.
Throughout final weekend’s occasion, Waves for Water representatives taught Caub group leaders how one can correctly use the water filters and likewise carried out a WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) schooling session.
(L-R) Del Carmen Mayor Alfredo Coro, Waves for Water Philippines nation director Jenica Dizon, Cebu Pacific company social accountability specialist Roxanne Gochuico and the locals of Barangay Caub after the turnover of water filtration methods. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
This water filtration system can filter 1 liter in 1 minute. It’s constructed to final 5 to 10 years and might filter as much as 4 million liters of water. | IMAGE: Kyzia Maramara
Watching the magic occur
From soiled to scrub: Waves for Water successfully filters water with grime and micro organism (proper glass) into clear, potable water (left glass) in a matter of seconds. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
Not like different water filters that will take some time to do their job, Waves for Water filters can decontaminate 1 liter of water in 1 minute. That’s magic for those who ask us! From soiled, muddy water to scrub, potable H2O in mere seconds. And one of the best half is these filters don’t require batteries or a machine to operate. All it wants is to let gravity do its work making it an ideal system for catastrophe preparedness.
Waves for Water filters can separate grime, particles, and even the next micro organism from water:
- Cholera
- Botulism
- Typhoid
- Amoebic Dysentery
- E. coli
- Coliform Micro organism
- Streptococcus
- Salmonella
The 0.1-micron absolute filter makes it doable to drink from a water supply with out the chance of any life-threatening contaminants passing via — stopping the unfold of waterborne illnesses and extreme dehydration.
These water filters can filter rainwater, properly water, water from streams, and any supply that isn’t salt water or water with chemical substances. Every filter can final for five to 10 years and might filter as much as 4 million liters in its lifetime. Think about the large assist these give!
Earlier than and after: Water within the glass on the suitable is contaminated with grime and visibly murky. After filtration, it not solely turns into clear however can be rid of micro organism. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
We’ve seen for ourselves how efficient the filtration system is throughout Waves for Water’s demonstration for the residents at Caub Island. We’re additionally glad to report that the water tasted the way it’s imagined to – clear water.
With these buckets and filters from Cebu Pacific and Waves for Water, Caub Island’s catastrophe preparation strategies have bumped up a notch.
Locals of Barangay Caub are taught how one can assemble the filter kits and clear them. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
“Waves For Water’s collaboration with Cebu Pacific has paved the best way for us to achieve extra underserved communities all through the Philippines,” mentioned Jenica Dizon, Waves For Water Philippines’ Nation Director.
“The joint effort is a testomony to the group’s ethos of serving as a platform for strategic partnerships that may make clear water entry a actuality for all Filipinos throughout the archipelago,” she added.
How water filters can actually change lives
A Caub Island resident bringing a water filter again residence to their district. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
The hurricane affected over 500 households within the outskirts group of Caub. Their properties and their boats (the primary supply of livelihood for fishing) had been destroyed.
“After the hurricane struck, we had no entry to scrub, ingesting water. We’ve to purchase water however when the boats [with water gallons] arrive on our shores, some residents swim forward to purchase a gallon leaving nothing for the remainder of us,” says Caub Island resident Rosevic Sulapas.
She recalled how critical the island’s water scarcity downside was. Sulapas mentioned that boats coming from Del Carmen solely carried 60 gallons of water at P80 every. For an island of 500 households, that’s not sufficient. They usually nearly may by no means purchase one since some residents would scramble to safe theirs.
“We saved loads of coconut water so the children have one thing to drink, but it surely turns bitter after some time. It was so tough,” she provides. “These water filters from Waves for Water are an enormous assist.”
Extra Caub Island residents convey residence water filters after the distribution. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
Caub Island has misplaced lives from water scarcity, with residents succumbing to illnesses led to by unclean ingesting water. Now that Waves for Water has given every district on the island an ample quantity of filters for the group, it has given Caub Island hope for the longer term.
Nearly a 12 months after Storm Odette, Caub residents are nonetheless rebuilding their lives. In actual fact, a few of them are but to relocate to a brand new residence. However with serving to arms from all sides, the small group is slowly getting again on its ft. Positive, this may not be the final time it bows to a hurricane, however not less than now, Caub Island, Siargao is extra ready to face the battle head-on.
Cebu Pacific at present flies to Siargao from Manila 11x weekly, and from Cebu twice day by day. The airline continues to supply its assured low fares to stimulate journey throughout its community whereas it implements a multi-layered method to security to encourage everyJuan to fly as soon as extra. Go to www.cebupacificair.com to be taught extra about their newest choices, security protocols, and journey reminders.
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