The once challenging daily task of fetching water from distant sources in Corcuera, Romblon has now become a thing of the past for many residents, thanks to the recently completed Php 13,000,000 Level III Water System Expansion under the Support and Assistance Fund for Participatory Budgeting (SAFPB). This significant infrastructure project has brought clean, accessible water to far-flung communities, changing lives and improving the quality of living for residents like Nanay Remula and Nanay Febie along with 1,258 other beneficiaries.

Nanay Remula Fruelda, a 68-year-old resident of Brgy. San Agustin, shared her heartwarming story about the hardships she and her neighbors endured before the water system was expanded.

“Noong wala pa kaming tubig dito sa Sitio Tanruaw, kami ay masyadong hirap. Itong kinalalagyan namin, itong Sitio Tanruaw ay isa sa pinakamataas at malayong barangay dito sa Corcuera.

Pumupunta pa kami ng Brgy. Ambulong para mag-igib at maglaba. Sobrang hirap talaga kapag walang tubig. Mula dito sa bahay namin ay halos 30 minutos ang nilalakad namin para lang kami ay makapag-igib noong una,” Nanay Remula recalled.

The remote Sitio Tanruaw, perched in one of the highest and most isolated areas of Corcuera, used to rely on water fetched from Brgy. Ambulong, a 30-minute walk. The struggle was not only physical but also a huge burden on the daily routines of residents, making tasks like washing clothes and cooking a daily challenge.

With this new water system, residents of Sitio Tanruaw, along with Brgy. Alegria, Ambulong, Ilijan, Labnig, Poblacion, San Agustin, and Tacasan, now enjoy direct water connections to their homes, eliminating the need for long walks and exhausting manual labor.

Nanay Febie Fajiculay, a 59-year-old resident of Brgy. Ilijan, could not hide her gratitude for the transformation in her community.

“Kami ay naigib pa sa malayo, sa balon. Ang iniinom po namin ay mula sa tangke na galing sa sahod-ulan. Kaya nagpapasalamat po ako at nagkaroon kami ng patubig na ganitong napaka-alwan na po ng buhay namin,” Nanay Febie expressed with deep appreciation.

For Nanay Remula, Nanay Febie and their fellow Simaranhons, the completion of this project is a beacon of hope—one that not only quenches their thirst but also nourishes their future with the promise of progress and better living conditions. Through the SAFPB, the residents of Corcuera now have a reason to smile, knowing that access to water will no longer be a daily struggle.