SEEING PROGRESS Fishing boats line one aspect of Silaki Island, the place fishing serves as the first livelihood for residents. This heart-shaped neighborhood off mainland Bolinao in Pangasinan province is starting to beat its long-standing water shortage because the native authorities and the DOST within the Ilocos area labored collectively to construct a water desalination facility (inset, left). At proper, a technical officer from Summa Water, which was contracted by the DOST for the challenge, explains how the ability works. —Images courtesy of Bolonao LGU and Dost
BOLINAO, PANGASINAN, Philippines — Residents of Silaki, a distant and picturesque island within the Lingayen Gulf, have lengthy confronted the problem of crossing the ocean to fetch water for his or her fundamental wants, together with for consuming, cooking and bathing.
That burden is now lifted with the set up of a P4.1-million solar-powered desalination facility, which converts seawater into potable water. This progressive resolution offers islanders with much-needed comfort, bringing a sustainable supply of recent water on to their neighborhood and enhancing the standard of life on the island.
The challenge, the primary of its sort within the Ilocos area, is a collaboration between the Division of Science and Know-how (DOST), which offered the P2.8-million therapy facility, and the native authorities, which donated the land and constructed the P1.43-million constructing.
Silaki Island, a heart-shaped sitio (subvillage) of Barangay Binabalian on Santiago Island, is a part of Bolinao city. It covers solely 10 hectares and is dwelling to 89 households (about 380 residents) who depend on fishing and seaweed gathering for his or her livelihood.
Regardless of its idyllic setting, the island has lengthy confronted a major problem: the shortage of freshwater sources.
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“The islanders should journey to both Santiago Island or mainland Bolinao to fulfill their water wants,” Bolinao Mayor Alfonso Celeste instructed the Inquirer.
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Positioned 11.5 kilometers from the mainland, Silaki is a 40-minute boat journey away, or 15 to twenty minutes by boat to Santiago Island.
Whereas residents don’t pay for water sourced from the mainland or Santiago, they nonetheless incur bills for boat gas, which prices about P300 per journey, mentioned municipal engineer Olanroy Celzo. Every journey can transport two 400-liter drums of water for home use, together with 20-liter containers of potable water, that are offered for P20 every.
“Every resident fetches their very own water,” Celzo mentioned.
The set up of the desalination facility has vastly improved the state of affairs. The plant, with a capability of 5,000 liters per day, will present recent water for island residents.
Whereas the plant desalinates sea water, it attracts from a deep properly fairly than straight from the Lingayen Gulf, decreasing the filtering course of.
Conserving rainwater
Initially, water will probably be offered without cost, however the native authorities plans to impose a small payment to cowl upkeep prices.
The brand new water supply is a welcome reduction for residents like Haydee Revilla, a 42-year-old mom of three and who serves as sitio chief.
Earlier than the institution of the ability, they collected rainwater every time potential and conserved each drop. Some residents had dug open wells, however the water was too salty for consuming, appropriate just for watering crops and different family duties.
“With water now obtainable on the island, we not need to spend money and time fetching it from distant locations. The financial savings can go to different family necessities and to our youngsters’s faculty wants,” Revilla mentioned.
Enhancements
Past the water challenge, Silaki Island has been seeing different enhancements.
In 2022, a college constructing was constructed, permitting youngsters from kindergarten to Grade 6 to attend faculty on the island. Beforehand, college students needed to cross the ocean to attend faculty on Santiago Island, a journey that was notably harmful throughout the wet season. One other faculty constructing was donated by the Rotary Membership of Bolinao the next 12 months.
“Our kids not need to threat their lives and limbs to go to high school particularly throughout wet season,” Rivera mentioned.
Celeste mentioned the native authorities had been planning to develop the island, “however there are difficulties due to the gap. Slowly, we’re capable of put developments there.”
INAUGURATION Authorities officers led by Bolinao Mayor Alfonso Celeste (sixth from proper) and DOST Ilocos Director Teresita Tabaog (sixth from left) unveil the marker for the newly put in water desalination facility on Silaki Island, Bolinao, on Oct. 22. —Photograph courtesy of Bolinao LGU
In 2016, TeaM Vitality, the operator of the 1,200-megawatt coal-fired energy plant in Sual city, offered island residents with photo voltaic dwelling techniques, together with photo voltaic panels and LED lights. Two years later, the corporate additional supported the neighborhood by putting in a 6.4-kilowatt photo voltaic battery charging station, enabling residents to energy small home equipment of their houses.
Silaki Island can also be recognized for being the positioning of an enormous clam farm, established within the Nineties by the College of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UPMSI).
Overlaying 16 ha of sea house, the farm serves as a nursery for large clams, domestically often known as “taklobo,” serving to to revive the inhabitants of those once-endangered bivalves.
The farm has since turn into a vacationer attraction, drawing guests fascinated by the clams, whose shells can span as much as a meter extensive.
Vacationer vacation spot
Trying to the long run, Celeste envisions Silaki Island changing into a key vacationer vacation spot, with its pristine seashores, recent marine merchandise and pleasant residents.
The native authorities, in partnership with UPMSI, is planning a community-based tourism challenge, “The Legacy of the Sea: A Silaki Island Group-Based mostly Tourism Undertaking,” which received P15 million in funding as a part of the Tourism Champion Problem of the Division of Tourism. A P12-million counterpart fund has been put aside by the Bolinao authorities.
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Earlier than tourism absolutely takes off, nevertheless, residents are already reaping the advantages of important social providers lastly reaching their distant island.
