Safe Water Now Accessible in Panglima Estino, Sulu

Like an oasis in a desert, the town of Panglima Estino gives hope to the people of Sulu.

Access to safe water has always been a problem in the province of Sulu. Panglima Estino is no different. More than 30,000 people who live in this 5th class coastal town used to rely on hand-pump wells to gain access to water that is salty and unsafe for drinking.

But now the town has its own water system. The Sagay-Sagay Water Supply System Level II installed in Panglima Estino was formally turned over to Mayor Benshar Estino on Jan. 4 in a ceremony led by Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman together with ARMM Public Works Secretary Don Loong and Sulu Rep. Munir Arbison.

Mayor Estino thanked the ARMM officials for the water system and for the other vital infrastructure it is building in Panglima Estino. The infrastructure investments will continue this year with the paving of 5.5 kilometers of road in the town. The project is worth P109.5 million.

The installation of the new water system means a lot of things for the people of Panglima Estino. They are now safe from water-borne diseases such as deadly cholera, which is endemic in Sulu. They can also spend more time in work, business, and study now because they don’t need to fetch water by digging wells. Building their community and strengthening their bond with their friends and family are now easier simply because they now have access to potable water.

Panglima Estino is a testament to the government’s determination to help the people of Sulu by building better roads and water systems. The new water system and other infrastructure projects will definitely drive economic growth in the town.

via MindaNews / Amir Mawallil