Swiss Embassy "blesses" villagers

PALAYAN CITY - Townsfolk from a far-flung village in this capital city of Nueva Ecija received a big boost after the Swiss Embassy recently granted a state-of-the art potable water faciulity.

Ambassador Peter Suetter of Switzerland led on Monday the opening of the potable spring water program inBarangay Langka, Palayan City, a project that realizedthe dream of the hundreds of households, according toMayor Romeo Capinpin.

Capinpin said the Swiss Emabassy provided P800,000 to cover basic materials, the LGU answered for additionalconstruction needs while the residents did “bayanihan”for labor.

The non government organization calledNorthern Philippines Tribal Communities Development Center facilitated the project all the way to Suetter’s office. Capinpin said that the project which is a level II potable water system, having faucets on strategic areas for residents to get water, actually cost a bitless than a million pesos, considering the inter-party cooperation.Suetter, on his part, lauded the villagers for the success of the project even as he expressed surprisethat the amount his office released can serve a massof people.

He went to the place almost unnoticed if not for thepolice escorts, according to Roberto Bolinao, cityplanning and development coordinator.The water system, said Bolinao, answered one of the basic needs of our people in the area and we thankeveryone, specially the Swiss Embassy and our NGO facilitator,” he added.