OMF Empowers Residents of Coastal Community in Quezon
Speading Light, Providing Water Access: One Meralco Foundation Empowers Residents of Coastal Community in Quezon
Residents of the remote Sitio Central in Barangay Patabog, Mulanay, Quezon may be living at the foot of the mountain in front of Tayabas Bay, but safe access to water remained a challenge for the coastal community whose livelihood of fishing and coconut farming heavily rely on stable access to fresh and clean water.
In its continuous pursuit to extend help where needed, the Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) social responsibility arm One Meralco Foundation (OMF) together with Meralco's Customer Retail Services (CRS) group, Meralco's solar company MSpectrum, and the local government of Mulanay energized the water facility of the sitio through the Foundation’s Water Access Electrification program—a first in the municipality.
A 5-kilowatt ac inverter solar PV system powers two 1-horsepower water pumps that reliably run at least six hours a day to meet the daily needs of more than 300 households.
Resident Ma. Asuncion Fedelino usually fills and carries pails of water from a deep well some 100 meters from her home for bathing, washing dishes and clothes, and watering her plants. She would go back and forth at least twice, taking her around 30 minutes for the entire trip for a day's worth of water supply for her household.
"My husband and sons are usually away from home, so I'm the only one who can fetch water from the well. It's free, but sometimes the water can be murky and we have to go down the well to brush it clean. Now that our water facility is up and running and is powered by solar energy, we don't have to worry anymore about clean and free water every day," the 47-year-old shared.
Glicerio Ricaña, who has lived in Sitio Central for more than 60 years, is grateful that he and his wife have lived to witness this innovation arrive in their neighborhood. Instead of taking turns with other residents who manually use the water hand pump (poso) outside their home, they can now have a water line installed inside their house.
"Through Water Access Electrification which started in 2022, One Meralco Foundation has found yet another innovative way of filling the gap and bringing basic services to those who need it the most. The generosity of CRS employees, the technology of MSpectrum, and the goodwill of our partners in the Mulanay LGU have paved the way for residents to enjoy access to clean and reliable water,” Meralco's Chief Revenue Officer, Ferdinand O. Geluz said.
“It is a testament to what working together can do for our fellow men—Filipinos residing within or outside the franchise area can all experience the good life."
Mulanay Mayor Aristotle “Aris” L. Aguirre highlighted how this program solves one of the barangay's recurring problems—a sustainable source of clean water.
"One of the health issues we face here in Mulanay are waterborne diseases like typhoid, diarrhea, and e.Coli, and it has been our earnest desire to provide a clean source of water for our constituents. By bringing the very first solar-powered water system service facility in Mulanay, you have made our wishes come true,” according to Mayor Aguirre.
Money is hard to come by for some of the fisherfolks living in Barangay Patabog especially when the winds blow harshly and they can't go out to the seas to fish, said Barangay Captain Rosito Muñoz. This meant loss of income for the residents, making it more difficult for them to pay for basic services like water.
"Our residents can now allocate their precious resources for other needs thanks to the uplifting program of One Meralco Foundation. We promise to maintain and keep this system running," promised Barangay Captain Muñoz.
Mulanay is the third recipient of OMF's Water Access Electrification program since it started in 2022. It previously implemented the same project in a Dumagat community in Norzagaray, Bulacan and in Brgy. Sibaltan in El Nido, Palawan. All of these used solar power to energize the water distribution facilities.
“Access to clean and safe drinking water is essential to many of the needs of the families here, from their health to their livelihood. Through solar electrification, we did not only provide access but offered a more sustainable solution which many generations in this community can benefit from," shared One Meralco Foundation President and Meralco Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer Mr. Jeffrey O. Tarayao.