Salaan water system project worth P12-M breaks ground
Young children in Salaan-Pasobolong chant "Adelante Zamboanga" as they pose with Mayor Celso Lobregat, ZCWD officials, some councilors and members of the Lobregat team during the groundbreaking rite for the P12M Salaan water project Sunday. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday led barangay and Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) officials in the groundbreaking ceremony of the water system project worth more than P12-million in Barangay Salaan, east of this city.
The latest water system will provide potable and safe water to almost 5,000 highland residents from Zone 2, Boalan to the entrance of Pasobolong up to Salaan. It is a joint project of the city government and the ZCWD, with the former providing P6,281,250 funds while the latter’s allocation was P5,832,094 for a total of P12,113,344.
“This project is another good result of our strong partnership between the city government and the Water District,” Lobregat said, stressing that his administration’s policy is to have the Water District expand its coverage to areas outside the 5 to 7-kilometer radius and for the city government to provide funds for the expansion.
In areas covered by the Water District, Lobregat explained, people are paying P117 for the first 10 cubic meters or P11.70 per cubic meter of water, while those not served by the ZCWD, people are paying P5 per bidon or P250 per cubic meter as there are 20 liters per bidon, 10 bidons in one drum and 5 drums in one cubic meter or 1,000 liters.
This, he said, is the reason why the city government under his administration is providing funds for water system projects in areas that are not served by the Water District so that people, who were paying P5 per bidon, will only have to pay 23 centavos per bidon. “Isn’t this a pro-poor program?” he asked, to a stirring applause by the residents and barangay officials concerned.
So far, the present administration had already provided the Water District a total of P37.35 million for water systems (already operational) in Sangali, Vitali, Labuan, Pasobolong-Salaan, Boalan-Pasobolong, Tolosa-Lanzones-Guisao and Tolosa-Imelda.
Also present during the ceremonial breaking of the ground (to formally begin the water system’s construction) were the entire officials and some personnel of the ZCWD headed by Chairman of the Board Edwin Macasiar, General Manager Chito Vasquz, vice-mayoralty candidate now Councilor Cesar Iturralde, Councilors Nonong Guingona, Eddie Saavedra, Lilia Nuño and Rey Candido, council aspirants Roseller ‘Ller” Natividad, Percival Ramos, Michael Alavar, VP Elago, Salaan barangay officials led by Chairman Rodrigo Saavedra, Pasobolong Barangay Chairman Romel Francisco, Boalan chairman Benjamin Limen and several other personalities. (Vic Larato)