MERALCO PHOTO HANDOUT

A COMMUNITY of over 100 families belonging to the Dumagat indigenous people in Norzagaray, Bulacan now have potable water supply through a project of the One Meralco Foundation (OMF).

A three-kilowatt portable solar photovoltaic system was recently installed to power up the Sitio Sapang Munti community’s integrated water system, the OMF said in a statement.

The water facility, built by the Manila Water Foundation, can filter, store, and distribute up to 10,000 liters of potable water through strategically placed communal faucets. 

Households in the community now have 24/7 access to clean water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing.

OMF said the Dumagats used to rely solely on water that flows from a nearby stream and springs, which could turn murky and unsafe when it rains. 

The foundation said the project was the first under its Electrification for Water Access program, which aims to provide underserved communities with safe, clean, and reliable water source. 

“While having access to potable water is a basic need and right, this still remains elusive for many Filipinos. To help bridge the gap, OMF has taken steps to help bring basic needs such as water and electricity closer to as 

many underserved communities as possible,” OMF President and Meralco Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer Jeffrey O. Tarayao said.

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