Manila: Five public elementary schools in the remote communities of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, are adopting a rainwater harvesting system to enhance water conservation, improve water access, and bolster disaster and climate resilience.
According to Philippines News Agency, these schools are the beneficiaries of the Bridging Rural Infrastructure Development for Growth and Empowerment (BRIDGE) Project, a collaboration between Central Philippines State University (CPSU) and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)-Negros Occidental Bacolod City Chapter. In a news release on Monday, the collaborators expressed their shared commitment to promoting sustainable water resource access and supporting improved water, sanitation, and hygiene practices in schools.
The rainwater catchment system facilities were handed over to five schools on August 14: CPSU Agricultural Extension Outreach Program-Farmers' Village Training Center Elementary School, NOAC Elementary School, Nabung-an Elementary School, President Osme±a Elementary School, and Tagukon Elementary School. The project benefits approximately 800 pupils across these schools.
CPSU President Dr. Aladino Moraca and PRC-Negros Occidental Bacolod City Chapter Administrator Rita Benita Mirasol spearheaded the signing of memorandums of agreement and the turnover ceremony, with Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division Superintendent Ferdinand Sy in attendance at CPSU.
The installation of these facilities aligns with the schools' efforts to implement DepEd's Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools program. PRC-Negros Occidental Bacolod City Chapter highlighted the importance of rainwater harvesting as a means to conserve water and prepare schools and communities for future challenges.
CPSU reported that the project contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 3, focusing on Good Health and Well-Being, specifically Target 3.3, which aims to end water-borne and other communicable diseases by 2030. The initiative also supports SDG No. 6, Clean Water and Sanitation, with a focus on achieving access to adequate sanitation and hygiene for all, paying special attention to women, girls, and vulnerable populations.
Through the BRIDGE Project, students are also educated about food security, with schools committing to establish vegetable gardens. Pupils and their families are encouraged to plant fruit trees at home, addressing SDG No. 2, Zero Hunger, by promoting agricultural productivity among students, teachers, and families, facilitated by improved water access.
