A total of eight potable water system projects funded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Kabacan town of Cotabato province were successfully completed, based on the inspection conducted by the DILG XII technical team early this month. 

Based on DILG XII’s Project Development Management Unit (PDMU), the projects were funded in 2019 under the Department’s Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig para sa lahat (SALINTUBIG) program worth of Php 10,000,000. 

These projects are located in the barangays of Upper Paatan, Malanduague, Bangilan, Pisan, Bannawag, Simbuhay, Dagupan, and Saggadong and are expected to serve an estimate of 400 residents, PDMU added. 

Barangay officials are expected to organize their respective water sanitation associations, which will be tasked to operate and maintain the water system projects as part of the program’s agreement, Engr. Abdul Hajid Melikon, the program’s focal person said. 

SALINTUBIG is a program of DILG that provides financial assistance to municipalities in the country to implement potable water system projects in their waterless communities. 

In 2019, Region XII was granted a total of Php 103,500,000 to fund the installation of 41 water systems in waterless barangays located in 11 municipalities, while in 2020, the Region received a total of Php 174,390,617 to fund its 41 additional water system projects to be implemented in 15 municipalities.