The Department of Agrarian Reform provides training to its beneficiaries in Kalinga on how to make bio-sand filters to help address the community’s concerns on clean water supply, sanitation, and hygiene.
In a press release, DAR-Kalinga Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Adela Damaso said the bio-sand filter mechanism is a simple household water treatment device.
The project is a component of the community-managed potable water sanitation and hygiene program being implemented by DAR.
The bio-sand filter consists of different sizes of stones and pebbles, coarse sand, fine sand, and activated charcoal arranged in layers inside a food-grade container that helps purify water.
“The target is to have a bio-sand filter mechanism in every household for them to be secured of safe, clean, and potable water in the community,” Damaso said.
Fernando Malyong, an agrarian reform beneficiary member of the Botigue Farmers Association in Balawag, Tabuk City, Kalinga who adopted the method of bio-sand filter making, said the project is far too cheaper than buying a commercial water filter.
“Now, we will intensify the replication of this so that every household will be assured of safe drinking water,” he said.
Barangay Chair Jerry Donga thanked the DAR for the training provided to the farmers.
He narrated that before the mechanism was introduced to them, members of the community used to rely mainly on deep wells, hand pumps, and rainwater.
Donga asked the participants of the training to donate the bio-sand filter to the barangay, which in turn committed to replicate the project by installing bio-sand filters in every household to boost sanitation and hygiene.
“The project provides low-cost, culturally acceptable, and appropriate technology to address problems on poor access to potable water supply just like what was experienced here in Barangay Balawag,” Donga said. – PNA
