150 Ilocos Norte public schools to get potable water system

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

LAOAG CITY—In its bid to reduce single-use plastic in schools, public schools in the province will soon have their own potable water system for teachers and students to discourage them from buying bottled water or soft drinks.

With a total budget of PHP1.5 million sourced from the 20% development fund and the maintenance and operating expenses, a total of 150 schools in the towns of Banna, Solsona, Pagudpud, and Nueva Era will be installed with a deep well potable water system next year, said Romeo Angay, Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Ilocos Norte in defense of his office proposed budget in 2020 during the budget hearing held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The installation of potable water system is among the major projects of the environment office under the Ilocos Norte provincial government next year including the continuous implementation of the “Ilocos Norte green wall” project which aims to grow more trees and provide livelihood to people living in the province’s mountainous areas.

Mr. Angay said a number of public schools in the province have limited access to potable water system hence, the need to provide the school community an adequate and accessible source of safe and clean water supply.

In a garbage audit conducted in schools and even in households, it shows that plastic bottles and other containers topped the list of single-use plastics being thrown away elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the green wall project launched during the time of former Ilocos Norte Governor, now Senator Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos covers the planting and growing of more trees in critical watersheds and dams from the long stretch of the Badoc gateway to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

To sustain this project, the Ilocos Norte government through the ENRO has a budget allocation of PHP11 million next year for the hiring of more than 600 Barangay Ranger Officers for the forest rehabilitation project covering 1,600 hectares.

The BROs are assigned to propagate mostly indigenous species of trees and plant them in mountainous areas. They are also tasked to help monitor the occurrence of grass fire and illegal cutting of trees.

The green wall of Ilocos Norte initially got a funding of Php 60 million to protect dams and irrigation facilities. This covers the major sources of water in Ilocos Norte particularly in the municipalities of Solsona, Marcos, Nueva Era, Dingras, Vintar and the cities of Batac and Laoag City.

The ENRO reported about 8,000 hectares of forest cover were rehabilitated so far.

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