BAMBAN, TARLAC — Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and its partners inaugurated on May 2 a deep well facility to enhance access to clean and safe water. They also launched an initiative to create and maintain a community garden in Sitio Burog, San Vicente.
Collaborating in the project are Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), Manila Water Foundation (MWF), Clark Water Corporation (CWC), Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. (BCFI), and World Vision Development Foundation (WVDF).
Representing CDC President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera, Vice President for Security Services PMGen. Lina Sarmiento (Ret.) emphasized the corporation’s commitment to inclusive development in Clark and its surrounding communities.
“Natutuwa po tayo sa ating mga partners dahil alam po nila na ang ating community dito ay isa sa napakahalagang simbolo ng ating identity dito sa Central Luzon. At alam po natin na dapat walang iwanan at sila ang ating kasama para kayo ay makasabay sa pag-unlad,” PMGen. Sarmiento said.
“Lalo na dito sa kapitbahay ng Clark. Umuunlad ang katabi [nila] so dapat ang mga tao dito sa Sitio Burog ay kasabay natin umuunlad,” she added.
Officials from various partner organizations attended the inauguration ceremony. These included Reginald Andal, Executive Director of MWF; Maria Pamela Castro, Senior Program Manager for Nutrition and Food Security; Executive Director Sebastian Quiniones, Jr. both from PSFI; Filipina Laurena, Executive Director of BCFI; and San Vicente Barangay Kagawad Remy Tolentino.
All speakers expressed a shared emphasis on collaboration among private entities to support marginalized communities.
Sebastian Quiniones, Jr., Executive Director of PSFI said that the project is a continuing advocacy of the collaborators.
“We will ensure the sustainability of the program through possible continuous assistance in the future,” he added.
In support of long-term community empowerment, 30 goats were distributed to Aeta families in Sitio Burog as part of the livelihood assistance program, alongside key water and agricultural initiatives.
For his part, Andal cited that more than 700 residents will benefit from the 150-meter deep well and community garden.
This project is a component of the Roots to Shoots (RTS) program, a three-year multi-stakeholder effort led by PSFI, focusing on health and nutrition, food security and livelihood, and water access, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) to improve the well-being of undernourished communities in the Philippines.