Waves After a Storm: How Cebu Pacific and Waves for Water PH Is Serving to Siargao Get Again on Its Toes
Eight months after Storm Odette, Caub Island residents nonetheless concern 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 elements of Visayas and Mindanao. Siargao, specifically, 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, a whole lot of residents misplaced their properties and had no entry to wash 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 storm, many would prolong assist to the residents to assist them get again on their toes. However the future doesn’t promise to be typhoon-free, particularly now that we’re headed to the height of storm season. That’s why catastrophe preparedness is the important thing to creating positive 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 techniques 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 result 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 items) value of water filtration freed from cost throughout seven affected provinces, particularly 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 the way to correctly use the water filters and in addition 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 techniques. | 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 wash: Waves for Water successfully filters water with filth 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 may take some time to do their job, Waves for Water filters can decontaminate 1 liter of water in 1 minute. That’s magic in the event you ask us! From soiled, muddy water to wash, potable H2O in mere seconds. And the perfect half is these filters don’t require batteries or a machine to perform. All it wants is to let gravity do its work making it an ideal system for catastrophe preparedness.
Waves for Water filters can separate filth, 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 by — stopping the unfold of waterborne ailments and extreme dehydration.
These water filters can filter rainwater, nicely 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 massive assist these give!
Earlier than and after: Water within the glass on the correct is contaminated with filth and visibly murky. After filtration, it not solely turns into clear however can also 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 speculated 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 the way to 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 way in which for us to succeed in extra underserved communities all through the Philippines,” stated 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 house to their district. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
The storm affected over 500 households within the outskirts group of Caub. Their properties and their boats (the principle supply of livelihood for fishing) have been destroyed.
“After the storm struck, we had no entry to wash, ingesting water. We now have 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 severe the island’s water scarcity downside was. Sulapas stated 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 virtually might by no means purchase one since some residents would scramble to safe theirs.
“We saved quite a lot of coconut water so the youngsters have one thing to drink, however it 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 deliver house water filters after the distribution. | IMAGE: Meg Manzano/Waves for Water PH
Caub Island has misplaced lives from water scarcity, with residents succumbing to ailments caused 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 long run.
Virtually a yr after Storm Odette, Caub residents are nonetheless rebuilding their lives. In reality, a few of them are but to relocate to a brand new house. However with serving to palms from all sides, the small group is slowly getting again on its toes. Positive, this won’t be the final time it bows to a storm, however no 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 every 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 study extra about their newest choices, security protocols, and journey reminders.
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