To address the water scarcity and improve community resilience, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) National Program Management Office (NPMO), led the visit and assessment on Air-to-Water Technology (AWT) in Barangay Gilotongan, Cawayan, Masbate on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

The team assessed the feasibility of implementing the AWT in the area, as a potential pilot site using the following criteria: 1.) Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) area with high stunting rate; 2.) poverty incidence; 3.) limited water access; 4.) disaster vulnerability; and 5.) island barangay.

The activity was spearheaded by KALAHI-CIDSS National Program Manager (NPM) Atty. Bernadette A. Mapue-Joaquin, joined by DSWD Field Office V Regional Director Norman S. Laurio, representatives from the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), and Manila Water Foundation.

NPM Atty. Mapue-Joaquin highlighted that the initiative is not just a project of DSWD, nor it is solely a project of the LGU, but a project of everyone in the community.

“Di ba po sa KALAHI-CIDSS, we ensure na merong participation at lahat tayo kabilang sa pag-identify, pag-implement ng mga proyekto na tayo po mismo ang magiging bahagi at para po sa atin yung mga proyektong iyon,” she said.

(In KALAHI-CIDSS, we ensure that there is participation and that all of us are involved in identifying and implementing the projects, which we ourselves will be a part of and which are meant for us.)

AWT generates clean drinking water from humidity in the air, which has been used by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in regions that experienced severe water scarcity.

The visit is part of DSWD’s initiative to enhance disaster preparedness and access to basic needs in vulnerable and isolated areas.

To gain insights and learnings on the issues faced by the community and assess the capacity of the barangay and municipality on the project sustainability, the team conducted four (4) focus group discussions comprised of Municipal and Barangay officials, community volunteers, and technical validators.

Previously, the team visited Camarines Sur province for the orientation and demonstration of AWT as well as Barangay Zapatos in Balud, Masbate for a needs assessment for subprojects focused on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).

Barangay Gilotongan is an island community of 1,098 households and in need of a clean and safe source of potable water and waste management or disposal facility. The community has already implemented five (5) subprojects funded under the KALAHI-CIDSS program, particularly health station, school building, rest and relief facility for post-COVID and disaster recovery, barangay road, and provision of amenities to three (3) units of Child Development Centers.