Socialized housing site in Cebu

More than 200 families living in a socialized housing site in Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City will soon have access to potable water right inside their homes.

The Tubig Pagasa, a firm that distributes water in communities not reached by local water districts, recently inaugurated a water network in the Lower Tipolo Homeowners Association Inc. (LTHAI) housing site.

The area is home to 255 families, who get water from water pumps situated several meters away form their houses, LTHAI president Dometilla Subang said.

The Tubig Pagasa partnered with the Metropolitan Cebu Water District in establishing a water network in the site, with the support of the Mandaue City Government.

Celine Santillan of Tubig Pagasa said they chose LTHAI as their pilot site in the Visayas because there is a need for water in the area and because of the support of the local water district and the Mandaue City Government for their project.

The Presidential Urban Poor Commission in Cebu also helped implement the project.

Santillan said Water and Life Philippines, a non-government organization that works with Tubig Pagasa, trains residents in firefighting and fire prevention, among others.

The LTHAI was registered with the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board in 2001.

Subang, 61, said a faucet was installed in the housing site in 2005 but the water pressure was very low.

A fire struck the housing site in 2007.

"We are very happy that we can now get water right inside our house," Subang said.

Some 100 households already have water connections inside their house, while 180 are still applying.

Santillan said their target is to provide water to 500 households, including those outside LTHAI.

The firm charges P4,900 for each household for the cost of installing water pipes, but the residents can pay this in daily installment over 64 weeks.

Each house will have a water meter. Personnel from Tubig Pagasa will do daily readings, so the residents will have to pay everyday. Residents pay P1 for every 20 liters of water.

Santillan said they collect bills daily to spare residents the burden of paying a large amount at the end of a month.