Wetland to rise in Alaminos City
FIRST IN THE PHILIPPINES
ALAMINOS CITY –Primarily aimed at ensuring safe drinking water and protecting its rivers, seas and the Hundred Islands National Park from pollution, the Alaminos City Constructed Wetland Project is now being constructed following its groundbreaking last March 18.
Touted to be the first in the country, the project was made possible through the concerted efforts of the League of Cities of the Philippines, represented by its secretary general Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) which acquired the project from the Partnership for Democratic Local Government of South East Asia (DELGOSEA).
During the groundbreaking ceremony attended by city and barangay officials and other groups, Braganza said the project is the cheapest and most effective way of treating wastewater that comes from the market, commercial establishments and sewage that flows to lower areas.
“We have to protect our people who depend on clean potable water that they draw from under the ground and the people who depend on fishing and tourism as livelihood,” said the mayor.
The P2.5 million project (first phase) is under the Aquino administration’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program with the participation of the family of Atty. Alfred Felix De Castro that leased to the city government portion of the project site.
The project will serve the central business district and most parts of Barangay Poblacion.
A replication of the “Constructed Wetland for Municipal Wastewater Treatment”, a Best Practice Model, in Udonthani City, Thailand, the project was chosen by the city after receiving a grant from the DELGOSEA.
The grant, which covers funds for research, travel and coordination expenses, was awarded to the city government of Alaminos for bagging the Seal of Good Housekeeping award from the Department of Interior and Local Government.
The award is given to local government units that excel in the practice of transparency and good governance.
Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Partylist Rep.Teddy A. Casiño, an acclaimed human rights and environmental protection advocate, hailed Alaminos City for undertaking to build the facility.
Casiño, who visited the city for its fiesta celebration, said the Alaminos City Constructed Wetland project is “commendable and logical because it is a truly natural way of treating wastewater.”
“This sustainable and affordable means of treating wastewater will be a big contribution of the administration of Mayor Hernani Braganza to the protection of the environment,” said Casiño.
Before approving the project, the mayor and most of department heads and other city officials here visited Udonthani City to see for themselves how a constructed wetland project is operated.
He said Udonthani City’s Best Practice of building its constructed wetland project has saved its government the trouble of undertaking expensive artificial means of wastewater treatment that costs hundreds of millions in funds.
Meanwhile, Braganza thanked the family of De Castro for leasing part of their land to the city to be used as treatment area, which will be called “Judge Felix De Castro Jr. Park.”
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