CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PNA) — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), through its Office of Project Development Services (OPDS), has strengthened the vital role of the local government units (LGUs) on water project implementation and water preservation as the El Niño phenomenon continues to hit various cities and provinces across the country.

The DILG-OPDS, in coordination with the Project Development Management Unit (PDMU), mobilized the Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) teams of the concerned LGUs to properly implement the water program.

The agencies conducted a two-day meeting with the WATSAN members on water project implementation at the Harbor Lights Hotel here from March 18 to 19.

Participants came from four municipalities of the province of Bukidnon. They were also oriented on the Millennium Development Goals Fund (MDGF) 1919 by WATSAN technical experts from the DILG-OPDS office.

The activity aims to enhance the capacities and technical skills of the WATSAN teams from the provincial office of Bukidnon and the municipalities of Kitaotao, Kibawe, Kadingilan, and Don Carlos.

They were also reoriented on the functions and roles of the WATSAN teams in the water and sanitation sector, and water preservation and revisiting their respective work plan for the MDGF 1919 implementation.

It was learned that the preparation of these work plans by the WATSAN teams will be used for the roll-out of the baseline survey and other information needed at the village level.

“MDGF 1919: Enhancing Access to and Provision of Water Services with the Active Participation of the Poor” is a program aimed to contribute to the improvement of efficiency, access, affordability, and quality of potable water services, by establishing support mechanisms which include the development of a range of incentive options and partnership modalities.