LWUA hails water districts for ‘Odette’ relief efforts
THE Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) has named three water districts as recipients of this year’s “Huwarang Lingkod-Tubig” Awards in recognition of the assistance extended to severely-hit areas after the onslaught of super typhoon “Odette” last December 2021.
LWUA Officer-in-Charge Eileen L. Dela Vega said Puerto Princesa City Water District representing Luzon area, Bayawan Water District (Negros Oriental) in the Visayas, and San Francisco Water District (Agusan del Sur) in Mindanao demonstrated exemplary efforts and went beyond the call of duty when they extended assistance to hard-to-reach barangays to distribute relief goods and potable water immediately after the powerful cyclone’s landfall.
“We congratulate these three awardees,” Dela Vega said. “This goes to show that in times of need, water districts can help out other water districts and nearby towns to slowly get back on their feet.”
She added that the three awardees also assisted LWUA in distributing rice and grocery packs when power was out and travel was halted as a result of “Odette”.
“They were also instrumental in assisting the agency [to] assess the damage and repair needed to restore normal water supply in badly-affected water districts,” she added.
The Philippine Water Awarding ceremonies will be done online on March 22, in time for the celebration of World Water Day (WWD), to honor and recognize individuals or institutions who play a leadership role in championing water and promoting water and sustainable development.
The event will be made possible in cooperation with Maynilad, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), and the Department of Natural Resources (DENR) River Basin Control Office (RBCO).
As part of WWD activities, LWUA also opened an exhibit last March 15 at its head office in Balara, Quezon City with this year’s theme, “Groundwater: Making the invisible, visible,” highlighting the crucial importance of the water beneath our feet.
This will be followed by an online water information and education program called “Buhay-KYUT (Kalusugang Yaman Ugnay sa Tubig)” on March 25 in partnership with the Puerto Princesa City Water District (PPCWD), Department of Health (DOH), Maynilad, Maynilad Water Academy, and Philippine Water Partnership (PWP).
