A proposed national government-funded desalination project in Molocaboc Island of Sagay City in northern Negros Occidental is poised to boost freshwater access and provide an alternative source of income for its residents.
The two-year initiative, with a project cost of PHP8.5 million, will develop the village into a pilot site for a first-of-its-kind desalination facility in the country, with support from the Department of Agriculture’s National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
“We support the project and it is important to fast-track its implementation. It will have a long-term impact on water security and livelihoods,” Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva said in a statement on Wednesday.
The desalination facility will have a production area of around 300 to 500 square meters.
It is designed to address limited freshwater access in the island-barangays by producing potable drinking water while also generating rock salt as a secondary output that can be developed into an alternative livelihood for local residents.
Cueva met with the technical team from NFRDI and BFAR-Negros Island Region on Feb. 24, where it was discussed that “the presence of organized local associations in Barangay Molocaboc strengthens the island’s suitability as a pilot site, ensuring community participation and effective project implementation”.
The city government has identified a counterpart team that will provide support for electricity connection, water system construction, and other basic utilities.
Cueva said the desalination project implementation is timely as electricity has already been restored by the National Power Corp. in Molocaboc Island last December.
The NFRDI-BFAR technical team will also provide a backup generator set to ensure continuous operation.
Barangay Molocaboc is composed of three sitios – Molocaboc Daku, Molocaboc Diut and Matabas.
The island-communities, which are part of the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve, are accessible via a 30-minute boat ride from Sagay City’s Vito wharf. (PNA)
