Cheers to potable water from the Israeli-made water filter system
In photo from left: DCM Nir Balzam, Provincial Board Member Absalon Colandog, Provincial Administrator Dr. Aime Jimeno DVM, MinDA Secretary Maria Belen Sunga Acosta, Ambassador Ilan Fluss, Governor Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao, PDRRMO Rosario Roxas (Photo credit: MinDA)
The Embassy of Israel in the Philippines donated NUF water filtration systems to Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) which were distributed to Typhoon Odette-stricken areas in Mindanao.
The Israeli-made water filtration systems were delivered to Del Carmen and San Isidro in Siargao Island and Cagdianao and Basilisa in Dinagat Islands on March 29. Joining Ambassador Ilan Fluss and Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. Nir Balzam during the turnover ceremony were MinDA secretary Maria Belen Acosta and Deputy Executive Director Romeo Montenegro. Present were Surigao del Norte Governor Francisco Matugas, Dinagat Islands Governor Arlene Bag-ao, and other government officials.
“Water is life. This donation is Israel’s initiative to support and promote access to potable water in the Philippines. When Typhoon Odette struck the areas in Mindanao, Israel saw the need for clean, drinking water. We coordinated with MinDA to help identify which areas we could extend this assistance,” Ambassador Fluss explained. The ambassador added, “Israel’s innovation and technology can contribute to solving some of the challenges of the Philippines.”
The Israeli-made technology is a portable crank-operated machine capable of taking water from a polluted source such as a river and purifying up to 400 liters per hour, which is enough to supply all the daily water needs of 300 to 400 people.
Prior to this, the embassy sent immediate relief efforts in December to Cebu, Bohol, and Siargao, which were also affected by Typhoon Odette. “The embassy saw the urgent needs of the people. We donated food packs, hygiene kits, water filtration systems, and solar panels to these affected areas,” Mr. Balzam shared.
MinDA and LGUs in Mindanao received a training program by Israel’s Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV) in 2021 for water conservation and management. This joint initiative is part of the ongoing partnership of the Israel Embassy and MASHAV with MinDA.