Spanish Gov’t, Albay launch WASH

Legazpi City - The first national training on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) was conducted, in cooperation with the Spanish government through the Spanish Aid and the Climate Change Risk Reduction and Management Training Institute in Albay last July 27 to 31.

The province of Albay hosted the event for five days and was participated by the different Local Government Unit (LGU), cities, and various provinces from Regions IV-A to Region VIII.

“The purpose was actually a Training of Trainers (TOT). The idea is to teach group of trainers to eventually replicate the same training to different LGU’s on Water Sanitation Management,” said John Eugene Escobar, information and training officer IV of the Climate Change Risk Reduction Management.

The essential activities that were personally showcased by the Spanish trainers are managing and maintaining water supply sanitation and hygiene systems; operation and maintenance of water supply and sanitation systems; household water treatment and storage; low cost water supply and sanitation technology options; actual construction, repair and maintenance of various water supply sanitation and facilities; rainwater harvesting; development of spring water resources; and developing and implementing plans, systems and mechanisms for effective delivery of water and sanitation services.

Escobar shared that they have been focusing on training for the past four years and hopefully, with the support of the new governor Al Francis Bichara, they can transition on research and development this year. This training institute will not only cater disaster and climate-related activities but also trainings across other sectors like Agricultural, Tourism, Health and other related fields.

“The research and development will be strengthened with additional human power to assist and support the research components of Climate Change,” Escobar concluded. – Cherry Ann Zamar