Kinatarcan Island To Receive Potable Water, Shelter

Housing and water are major issues that currently confront residents of Kinatarcan Island of Sta. Fe town.

This is according to the result of the risk assessment conducted by the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) on the island after Typhoon Yolanda hit Northern Cebu in 2013.

Kinatarcan residents, assisted by PDRRMO, came up with the Kinatarcan Integrated Development Plan containing the results of their assessments on risks and hazards, environment, coastal and human resources.

“Kinatarcan has no open source of water. Their sources of water are rainwater, underground water and saltwater,” said PDRRMO head Baltazar Tribunalo.

He explained that most residents collect rainwater for their daily use, a few desalinate saltwater.

They have wells to access underground waters but easily dry up during hot seasons, he added.

“But these methods are rather expensive,” expressed Tribunalo.

To address this concern, the Cebu Provincial Government partnered with Manila Water Foundation (MWF), Inc. to put up a water project in the island.

PDRRMO with MWF will conduct a community consultation in Kinatarcan Island on February 5-7 for the said project.

The group will discuss the environmentally appropriate method of accessing potable water in the island, said Tribunalo.

Lipayran Island of Bantayan town and Pilar town of Camotes Island will also receive the same water project from the Province and MWF.

PDRRMO also partnered with Caritas Switzerland for a 400-unit housing project in Kinatarcan Island.

On February 1, PDRMMO and Caritas Switzerland will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the first batch of houses to be built.

By Lianne Llesol