LEGAZPI CITY (PIA5/Albay) — Responding to the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide clean water to displaced families in evacuation centers, twenty (20) personnel from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) arrived in Albay today, June 16, to build solar water filtration systems.

The team will set up about sixty (60) units of solar water filtration systems in various evacuation centers in the province.

This facility can generate 180 liters of clean water every hour.

‘’This modern and germicidal-ultraviolet technology is capable of purifying water from wells, rivers, creeks, etc. to safe, potable water,’’ Albay Gov. Edcel Grex Lagman said.

In his personal visit to the evacuation site at the Guinobatan Community College on Wednesday, June 14, President Marcos assured the  govenrment's assistance to the evacuees.

‘’Binigyan ko sila ng instruction na magdala dito ng [water] purification. Iyong maglilinis ng tubig para kukuha tayo ng tubig sa ilog o kung saan, ‘yun ang lilinisin natin para pwedeng inumin, pwedeng gamitin pangluto,’’ Marcos said.

‘’Kami ay nandito upang tiyakin na matutugunan ang lahat ng pangangailangan ng mga evacuees...at makausap din kayo, ang mga evacuees, kung ano ‘yung mga inyong pangangailangan,’’ the president added.

Call for help

Clean water and financial assistance are the primary concerns of the evacuees.

‘’Sa pagkain, walang problema dito, iyong CR lang tapos tubig lalo na iyong gagamitin sa pag-laba,’’ evacuee Ofelia Nierba said.

Guinobatan Mayor Paul Chino Garcia affirmed Nierba's concern, saying that they will ensure that  intervention will be in place to address  the said issue.

‘’Sa ngayon, ongoing ang paggawa natin ng waterlines kasi isa iyon sa ating problema, pati na rin mga CRs,’’ Garcia said.

Luisa Apuyan,one of the evacuees from Brgy. Maninila, appealed for financial support particularly the transport fees for their children since the evacuation site is far from their schools.

‘’Nananawagan po ako na mabigyan kami ng pamasahe lalo na ang mga bata po baga naga-klase,’’ Apuyan said.

Apuyan expressed her gratitude to the assistance from the government. ‘’Maraming salamat po kay Mayor lalo na kay PBBM dahil ipinaabot niya ang tulong saamin na na-apektuhan ng Bulkang Mayon,’’ Apuyan said.

Before the visit of Marcos, Nierba said that she’s happy because the President himself will witness their situation in the evacuation center.(PIA5/Albay)

Cover photo courtesy of: Albay Gov. Edcel Grex Lagman