K-Water inaugurates water, solar-power system for Dumagat school

Business Mirror
07 Aug 2014 Written by Ramon Efren R. Lazaro

KOREA Water Resources Corp. (K-Water), together with the National Power Corp. (Napocor), inaugurated on Wednesday a P1.7-million water supply and solar-power system at the Dike Elementary School inside the Angat Watershed reservation in Bulacan.

The water-supply system comes with clean and safe toilets with showers, while the solar-power system is expected to give 900 watts of energy, enough to power up the lights, a television and a computer set for the school.

Napocor President Maria Gladys Cruz-Santa Rita, together with Jungseok Ko, K-Water director of public relations, together with other company officials and dumagat teachers, officials and schoolchildren, witnessed the event.

Santa Rita said, “With these facilities, our Dumagat children can learn more and, together with their parents, remain active partners of Napocor in preserving the watershed.”

As a matter of policy, provision of electricity and water is limited to the school so that informal settlers will not be attracted to squat within the watershed area, Santa Rita added.

Julieta Torres, a Dumagat, said: “Tiyak na mas mawiwiling mag-aral ang mga bata dahil may ilaw na sila sa paaralan. Maraming salamat, hindi lang mga mag-aaral ang makikinabang dito kung hindi pati kaming mga magulang nila.”

The full turnover of the 218-megawatt Angat Hydro Electric Power Plant in Bulacan to K-Water is set next month but the South Korean company has already started its corporate social responsibility for the tribesmen inside the Angat watershed reservation. Recently, Dumagat tribe leaders also received 200 pairs of rain boots from the SM Foundation, which was represented by its executive director, Linda Atayde, through the efforts of Santa Rita and Savemore President Jojo Tagbo.

The Dumagats are considered by Napocor as fellow caretakers of the watershed and make a living through craft-making (baskets, home décors) using raw materials found in the forest like rattan, among others, and the boots are expected to provide easier mobility for the tribesmen when they gather forest products. source