The
Philippines is known for its water resource – seas that are abundant with fish
and other marine ecosystems, rivers and lakes that host freshwater flora and
fauna, and springs that are considered to be one of the cleanest. However,
there are communities that still do not have access to water.
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A
section of the Coca-Cola Agos ram pump sits at the edge of a rice field in the
foothills of Mt. Kanlaon, the highest peak and an active volcano in Negros
Island.
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For
generations, upland communities have lived lives that required them to wake up early
to draw water from distant sources; a life where children would spend more time
drawing water for household use than playing outdoors; a life where mothers
juggle between providing water for their families and finding the time to care
and nurture.
In
line with its global thrust of returning the same amount of water used in the
production of its beverages to nature and communities, Coca-Cola Philippines installed
13 hydraulic ram pumps this September and October through the Coca-Cola Agos Program.
In 2015 alone, 1,984 million liters of water have been returned to nature and
communities through the project’s water ram pump installations.
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The
red tap stand is like an oasis in a desert – a source of refreshment for most
villagers that are benefitting from the Agos ram pump. Most villages installed
with an Agos ram pump are dotted with the red tap stand where they can draw
clean water without having to travel directly to the source.
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“We
believe that water is an integral resource in ensuring the sustainability of
communities. Through the ram pump’s simple and sustainable mechanism, we are
able to bring water to people who need it most. More than the water, it is
giving these communities a fresh start, an opportunity to create a more
sustainable future,” said Diego Granizo, president and general manager of
Coca-Cola Philippines.
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Residents
of a village near Mt. Kanlaon easily get water for their daily use from a
common tap stand.
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In
the last two months, the villages of Ebag in Barugo, Templanza and Luwan in
Matalom, all in Leyte, together with the villages of Libtong, Villa Caneja,
Cabunga-an, Caray-Caray, and sitios Puro, Mocal Bocal, and Baras, and the
village proper of Barangay Catmon in Naval, Biliran will be receiving the
Coca-Cola Agos ram pumps. Completing the list of recipients are Sitio Sadsadan
in Barangay Balbalan, Sitio Bullalayao in Barangay Pantikian, both in Kalinga
Province, and two areas in Barangay Camias, including Sitio Pasbul, and
Barangay Inararo in Porac, Pampanga.
In
partnership with the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI),
Coca-Cola Philippines has been bringing the ram pump technology to various
upland communities who do not have access to water. The ram pump technology
allows the elevation of water from a remote source to upland areas without the
need for complex machinery and electricity. The ram pump used in the Coca-Cola
Agos Project relies on gravity-assisted hydraulic force to propel water into
reservoirs which brings water to conduits near clustered households.
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