Residents in remote villages of Nueva Vizcaya no longer have to trek to rivers for daily water needs, thanks to new water systems funded by Filipino-Americans and facilitated by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO).
The water projects, recently turned over to communities in Ambaguio and Kayapa municipalities, stand as a tangible result of the CFO’s mission to connect overseas Filipinos with development efforts in their homeland. This initiative, part of a 2023 agreement, highlights the CFO’s pivot toward “strategic diaspora engagement” under Chairperson and Secretary Dante “Klink” Ang II.
Through its Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (Linkapil) program, the CFO serves as the critical bridge, matching the resources of diaspora groups like the US-based Feed the Hungry, Inc. (FtH) with specific needs in Philippine communities.
The Linkapil program is the cornerstone of the CFO’s mandate to strengthen the cultural, economic, and political ties of overseas Filipinos to the motherland. The program was designed to facilitate the transfer of various forms of assistance from Filipinos or other donors overseas to support projects in livelihood development, education, health related activities, and small-scale infrastructure.
Through the Linkapil Program, the CFO will act as the principal, conduit between overseas Filipinos and the local beneficiaries. The mechanism which the program offers will guarantee the provision of a coordinative support network by the CFO among government agencies involved in the processing of donations from abroad. This will also involve the establishment of close linkages with non-government agencies and identified beneficiaries at the local level for a more viable implementation and maintenance of projects. 2. Since its inception in 1989, some 3.4 billion pesos in donations have been coursed through the program.
During a turnover ceremony hosted by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), which oversaw the project’s progress, beneficiaries spoke of the immediate impact on their daily lives.
Kagawad Lito Baguiwan of Brgy. Ammuweg recounted the arduous journeys residents previously made to get water from a local river. He expressed gratitude for the system’s potential to transform everyday life in his constituency.
“This water system is a huge help, providing easy access to potable water for various purposes,” said Kagawad Marcelo Agustin of Brgy. Camandag.
In Brgy. Balete, a community situated on a mountain range where water access is a daily challenge, Barangay Captain Judith Bay-an expressed deep appreciation on behalf of her constituents.
Zachary Filon, representing Feed the Hungry, credited the successful fundraising efforts of friends and donors in the U.S. that led to the project’s implementation.
The projects in Ambaguio and Kayapa, funded by Feed the Hungry donors, are designed to serve 51 households and an estimated 255 individuals.
The turnover ceremony concluded with discussions on future improvements, including a potential conversion of the systems from electrical to solar power to address frequent outages, as well as possible livelihood projects for the communities.
The CFO was represented by Erwin Paul Cristobal, Jayson Espiritu, and Alvin Antonio Cabuco of the Project Management Division, while Pepito and Percy Solis joined Filon in representing Feed the Hungry.
The CFO Linkapil program provides a system for overseas Filipinos who desire to do their share in serving fellow Filipinos by supporting developmental projects in the Philippines. The program facilitates the flow of assistance from overseas to specific beneficiaries in the Philippines. For more details, visit the CFO website https://cfo-linkapil.org.ph/
