LUBAO, Pampanga — A community celebration welcomed the completion of a new water system ensuring clean water 24 hours a day at the coastal barangay of Bancal Pugad here.
Where manual water fetching and hand pumps were once the ordeal of the day, some 580 families now can just open faucets and taps for instant clean water delivered through a network of pipes in the project supported by the Pampanga Provincial Government.
“Sobrang laking tulong po nito dahil kahit anong oras po ay may tubig na kami pwede na kaming maglaba at maghugas ng maayos,” said Rose Ann Siongco, one of the residents here.
The provincial government allocated P7.6 million for the project, with the support of then-governor and now Vice Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda, to ensure the delivery of safe and clean water to residents of the barangay.
Over the weekend, Mayor Esmeralda Pineda and councilor Jayson Pineda-Victorino personally visited Bancal Pugad to check on the situation of the residents and assess the impact of the project.
“Napakasaya ko nung nakita kong tapos na yung proyekto dahil majority, parang 80-90% ng mga household ay nasusuplayan na ng tubig. Ang laking tulong kasi hindi lang ito basta tubig, access din ito sa safe water na maiinom nila,” the mayor enthused.
The water system draws its supply from a deep well and is powered by electricity. According to the provincial engineering office, the project began in June 2025, and as of today, 190 out of 250 households in the barangay have already been installed with water meters.
To address possible power outages, the barangay has standby backup systems, including a motorized water tanker built by the Japanese in the 1980s and an overhead water tank provided by the municipal government.
Aside from Bancal Pugad, four other coastal barangays are currently undergoing similar water system development. These include Barangay Mabuanbuan and Barangay Batang 1st in the town of Sasmuan, as well as Barangay Candelaria and Barangay San Esteban in the town of Macabebe.
Water quality testing is also ongoing in these barangays to ensure that the supply meets standards for potable drinking water. Pampanga PIO/
