Lt. Col. Roderick Balbanero of the Philippine Army in partnership with Philippine Week Commission and Association of Filipino Freemasons in Illinois led by Mac Jun Ramos together with the local government of Botolan headed by Mayor Doriz Maniquiz Jeresano led the distribution of water pumps.
The activity is under the Water for Peace Project which aims to provide remote areas with access to sustainable clean water.
The turnover started with a Dororo tribal ritual from an Aeta priest and elders which included a prayer and offering of live chicken and a liquor to bless the two water pump.
After the ritual, an Aeta tribal dance was performed for the guests.
Also part of the program was the distribution of two trash bins to Sitio Lakas High School, while 150 food packs, 250 slippers, 186 T-shirts, 200 loaves of bread, and 350 packed meals were provided to the locals.
Chieftain Fe Balbin expressed in her remarks that the sponsors were used as instrument of the Aeta deity Apo Mallari to provide them their much needed sustainable source of water.
Representatives from the PWC and AFFI, Atty. Edmund D Perez of Botolan sangguniang bayan, the principal and staff of Sitio Lakas High School and Day Care Center, tribal leaders and elders, and residents of the Aaeta community attended the said activity.
