Imagine this from your perspective: you are a grade school student studying in an upland sitio. Your only source of water is a 1.5-kilometer descent to fetch water, carrying a gallon back on uneven terrain, just so you can take a bath and be ready for school. By the time you are prepared for school, you might already be too exhausted to concentrate and fully engage in your studies.

This scenario was the daily reality for students of Simanta Elementary School until recently. Thanks to a collaborative effort between the Rotary Club of Makati and the Rotary Club of Zamboanga City West (RCZCW), the school and community now has access to clean water right in their neighborhood.

June 12, Independence Day was no holiday for the RC Makati delegation led by president Bing Matoto, PDG Pepz Bengzon, and PP Roland Young who traveled to Zamboanga City to officially turn over a water system to the community.

Directors Neil and Camille Makasiar, natives of Zamboanga, were already there days prior to the turnover.

Upon arrival at the airport, the team was met by RCZCW members led by president Cliff Ing and PDG James Makasiar, the father of Dir. Neil Makasiar. The team traveled over one and a half hours through steep and rough roads to reach Simanta Elementary School in Barangay Calabasa, Zamboanga City.

Immediately after getting there, a short program started with messages shared by president Bing, president Cliff, and RCZCW past president and Securities and Exchange Commission Chairperson and CEO Emil Aquino as well as from the school heads and barangay captain.

Water system inaugurated

Following the speeches, the team formally inaugurated the water system with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The project, whose planning started in the first quarter of the Rotary year, involved the development of a water source, a deep well about 1.5 kilometers down.

It included the construction of a concrete well, where water is delivered by pumping from the well to the school area through a 1.5 km transmission with a 1.5-inch PVC pipeline.

The water system is powered by a 5KW solar energy system with a 5HP submersible pump to bring the water to the school and includes the construction of an overhead tank at the school premises to ensure a steady supply of water.

Additionally, the system features a filtration tank that purifies water from the river before storing it in two large containers, with the excess water flowing back through pipes to service over 200 households. The total project cost of P700,000 was equally shared by both clubs with RCZCW Sec/PP Nanding Yu as the project lead.

School supplies, rice, medical mission

The program last 12 June didn’t end there. The students of Simanta Elementary School received bags and school supplies, while their parents were given a bag of rice. A medical mission was also included to check on health conditions among the populace in the community even as circumcision services were also provided for the youth. Completion of this water project marks a significant milestone in improving the students’ quality of life and that of the wider community.