Focused Sector(s): Water, Healthcare, Livelihood

Project: Health and Water Management and Livelihood Support

Date and duration: November 2009 / 9 months

Location: Zambales, Municipality of Palauig, Barangay Lipay

Beneficiaries: 4,605 villagers from 921 households

Problem(s):

• Drastic decline in fish catch, degradation of resources due to illegal fishing and competition from commercial fishers
• No motorized boats or efficient fishing gear
• Income from agricultural activities insufficient
• Limited employment opportunities
• Locals faced high costs of purchasing water and had to travel long distances to obtain water
• Lack of sufficient medical facilities and professionals to cater to the large number of medical cases in the community (ratio of 1:332). Local health centres were not operational and the government provided only limited medicines to the village.
• High costs of medicine and medical fees often caused locals to turn to herbal medicines which are not readily found

Intervention and Impact

• Constructed a wellbore and storage tanks, which provided a reliable and adequate source of potable water, and improved sanitation and living conditions. Access to affordable water resulted in savings for other needs like children’s education.
• Provided means of livelihood by training the community in oyster and fish farming techniques.
• Mobilised communities to conduct an inventory of available plants and to document alternative medical practices to tap indigenous knowledge of herbal medicines.
• Encouraged residents to set up herbal gardens and to learn to produce herbal medicines in capsulised forms as affordable alternative treatments for common ailments. This would improve the community’s ability to address common health issues and reduce reliance on the government.
• Re-planted five hectares of wetlands with approximately 45,000 mangrove seedlings and propagules to restore economic productivity

Cost: S$117,724