Tunghayan po natin ang kuwento ni Engr. Ace Bryan Llesol, bagong kasapi ng MKWD Team. Dito po ay ibinabahagi niya ang personal niyang karanasan sampu ng kaniyang mga kasamahan sa isang site validation na isinagawa kamakailan lang.
“The Trail Towards Restoration and Understanding”
“MKWD personnel went to the water sources in Brgy. Perez for the 6-day validation. The team includes Environmental Protection Specialist; Sir Noli, Water Quality unit/Chemist; Jay, Planning and Design division; me and Sir Dave, watershed units and porters.
As I was included in the validation team of MKWD, I personally saw how the landslide damaged our water sources and the solution can’t be done overnight like a swish of a magical wand.
“Uprooted trees as bridge”
We always start with a prayer before starting our mission and thereafter we proceed with the trail. Some parts of the trail near the water sources were composed of eroded soil and uprooted trees. Often times we have to change route but if it can’t be helped, we have to step upon those uprooted trees just to cross the other side. Looking below the possible fall, gave me enough determination to remove the words “miss a step” from my vocabulary, and I immediately did. We have to look for each other and be extra careful, as some steps had corresponding extra slide, going down the slope. Yet, despite the slight shaking of my feet, walking across those probably unstable trunks, I felt safe and secure since I am with a great, dependable team. Almost every day, as we take rest in our campsite, we would hear a creaking sound and huge thud somewhere. Another soil erosion. It could be part of the trail or could be not. At the end, even though there’s an abrupt change of plans, due to the heavy rain which resulted to new soil erosions paired with light earthquake, still we were able to set our feet on the key locations, unharmed, and successfully gathered the data that we need.
“The unsung”
Even before I went there, I already know the situation of our water sources, but being actually there, seeing it with my bare eyes, the situation hits more deeply.
During our stops on the key locations, I wondered with awe as I look at the eroded soil, I kept on thinking, some of my co-workers are facing this level of danger everyday to restore the water supply, maybe even worse, they really buried their feet below the ground, literally and figuratively speaking.
As technically I am also a consumer, I’d like give our true to life heroes who are still up there, the unsung and unpopular MKWD frontliners, my sincere appreciation for such unparalleled service.
“Knowledge is power”
My family, neighbors and friends would usually bombard me with the frequently asked question: “Ngano wala may agas na ulan man?”. Ngano bitaw? Actually, I might have ask the same question too, until it was explained to me by my boss before I even started my job . Whenever it rains, the turbidity level of the water rises, what we call “lubog” or “Milo-Milo”, our facility can’t filter the water effectively, thus we have to shut it down. Back then, for few hours, the turbidity level would return to its usual/normal state, a time where the filtration facility may restart for water production; but now, things are different. The huge earthquakes which happened last October 2019, changed the quality of the soil that surrounds our water sources. With its current status coupled with the continuous heavy rainfall, landslides continually occur. No one wanted it. No one. We might be working at the water district but guess what, we are also facing the same problem; no one’s exempted. Force majeure or natural disasters cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled.
By involving myself with discussions and little research to understand technical terms, I learned that our current filtration facility can only cater water with turbidity level 0 to 50 NTU. Turbidity is characterized by how clear the water is, it is measured in Nephelometric Turbidity Units or NTU. Higher NTU means the water is unclear; has the presence of roiled sediments. Due to the recent landslide, it spiked up to 1000 NTU, an overkill, ergo the emergency shutdown of the facility commenced. In analogy, imagine that you can only lift 5 kg of stone then suddenly someone asked you to lift a 100kg boulder, 20 times greater than your capacity, most likely, your body will give in, so you have to decline, similar with our filtration facility.
I believe that awareness is the road towards knowledge and with knowledge there’s understanding. So let’s spread awareness. Remember: Lamang ang may alam.
“Still hopeful”
We hope and pray that God will protect our unsung heroes, as they continue to evaluate and restore our water sources up on the mountains. With the collaborative efforts from the MKWD management ang its frontliners, plus the valuable support of the Kidapaweños, we are still hopeful that better days are yet just a step ahead.
We are one on this. We will never tire serving the community.
God Bless our MKWD, God bless us all.
“Laban Kidapawan!”
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At ganyan nga po ang hirap at tiyaga na pinagdadaanan ng ating mga MKWD frontliners, maibalik lamang ang maayos at regular na daloy ng tubig sa bawat gripo sa bawat bahay natin. Tunay nga’ng ang kaalaman at pag-intindi ay lubos na makakatulong upang mas mapabilis ang ating ginagawang mga aksiyon at maisaayos ang lahat. Pinakamabigat na hamon sa tao ang bayo ng kalikasan. Patuloy po tayong maging bahagi ng solusyon, at hindi ng problema.
Para kay Engr. Ace Bryan Llesol, at sa buong workforce ng MKWD, ang atin pong pagpupugay at hindi matatawarang pagpapasalamat, sa pagtataya ninyo ng BUHAY, para sa kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan. Patnubayan po kayo ng Diyos.