Eight months after severe tropical storm Super Typhoon Odette (International Name: Rai) devastated large parts of the Visayas-Mindanao, access to clean drinking water and basic hygiene and sanitation services are still intermittent in affected areas in Siargao.
On August 25, Cebu Pacific traveled to Caub Island in Del Carmen, Siargao together with Waves for Water Philippines, Mayor Alfredo M. Coro II, and local government representatives to provide clean water access through the implementation of filtration systems and a rainwater catchment tank to increase drinking water capacity.
Cebu Pacific sustained its assistance after working in December with global humanitarian aid organization Waves for Water in transporting over 2 tons (1,447 units) worth of water filtration systems free of charge, across seven affected provinces, namely Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Palawan, Southern Leyte, and Surigao del Norte.
The 502-household community in Caub primarily relies on rainwater — a source that can easily be contaminated due to storage and surrounding land uses.
Waves for Water representatives taught community leaders how to properly use the water filters and also conducted a WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) education session.
“As rehabilitation efforts continue, Cebu Pacific remains committed to pursue its Bayanihan initiatives whenever needed across our wide domestic network. We stand by our commitment to continuously provide better service, not just to our passengers, but to the communities that we fly to,” said Carmina Romero, Cebu Pacific’s Director for Corporate Communications.
