10 March 2022 – Good Neighbors PHL Inc. (GN PHL), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – National Capital Region (NCR), DOST – Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI), Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City, and the community of Sitio Bakal entered a partnership agreement to ensure that children and families in Sitio Bakal will have access to safe and clean drinking water, especially during a disaster.
Sitio Bakal, the local CDP of GN PHL, is a community in Barangay Bagong Silangan where basic services such as access to clean drinking water are not available. Most of the people here still use a water hand pump.
Last year, the partnership of the organization and DOST-NCR started with the Livelihood Upcycling Project for the women in the community, and the hydroponics set-up.
Now, DOST-NCR, together with DOST-ITDI, partnered with Good Neighbors through the provision of their developed Upgraded Emergency Disinfection System (UPEDS). The EDS is a ready-to-use water treatment facility that can treat raw water, in order to address the problem of drinking water shortage during natural disasters, such as flooding.
The agreement was signed on behalf of DOST-NCR Regional Director, Mr. Jose Patalinjug III, and DOST-ITDI Chief Environmental and Biotechnology Division, Engr. Reynaldo Esguerra. The Good Neighbors PHL was represented by the President and Country Director, Mr, Jae Choon Lee. While Barangay Bagong Silangan was represented by the Hon. Wilfredo Cara and Ms. Marissa Pradequella on behalf of the Sitio Bakal Community.
Patalinjug delivered his message of support pointing out to DOST and the partner organization, GN PHL, that the support given will not be the first and the last, but will provide different services that will empower the families and children to have improved life.
“Marami na kaming natulungang community. Now, we are partnering with Good Neighbors. Definitely, it is a pleasure for us to expand our network by adding to our linkage, the Good Neighbors group. Definitely, it will be a good partnership with Good Neighbors,” Jose Patalinjug III, Regional Director of DOST-NCR said during the signing ceremony.
