BARANGAY BALUBAL, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY- Throughout his whole life, Barangay Balubal Chairman Pablo M. Bactong has had to wake up in the wee hours of morning to store water for his daily use.
Not anymore. On March 8, 2025, Task Force Patubig Development Corporation inaugurated the Balubal Level III Water Supply System which can now deliver safe potable water straight to the barangay’s every household and workplace.
“After 65 years of my life, I can finally get water straight from the faucet in our house, thanks to TFP Development Corporation and all who helped bring this dream to reality,” Bactong said in his message during the inauguration program.
To help mark the occasion, TFP Dev. Corp. held a “Libreng Panubig” Festival from March 7-9, 2025, allowing all residents to get free water for from public faucets provided for the purpose.
Barely a year after the groundbreaking for the project graced by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy and other city officials, the Five Million Liter Daily (5 MLD) water treatment plant will now be able to serve not only residents of Balubal, but adjacent areas as well.
As City Hall’s support for the water initiative, Mayor Uy committed to provide Balubal with a Mega Health Center which would be ready to serve the growing population of the barangay which is expected to explode once word of the Level III water supply system gets out.
Officials from City Hall who were present in full force in a show of support for the project included Vice Mayor Jocelyn “Bebot” Rodriguez, and Councilors James Judith, Ian Achas, and Ivy Emano. Mayor Uy’s message for the occasion was read by his spokesman Jan Guillmore “Janboy” Actub.
“The 5 million liters daily (5MLD) can cater to a total of 10,000 households (HH) at 0.5 cu.m. of water per HH daily,” said Engr. Rodolfo P. Pancrudo, TFP Dev Corp President & Chief Operating Officer (COO). “This P250 million project was financed by private banks and some individual investors, including Mindanao Consolidated Cooperative Bank with Vice President Lexbert Majomot, and Philippine Business Bank with Peter Roa.”
With raw water sourced from the nearby Agusan River, the project can also supply processed potable water to parts of Barangays Agusan and Upper Puerto, as well as Mambatangan, Mantibugao, and Alae in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. It is a joint venture between Task Force Patubig Development Corporation and LLJ Water Consortium, with JE Hydro and Bio-Energy Corporation as the strategic technical partner which provided the innovative plant design. JEMI Corp. will manage the Balubal Operations under an O&M agreement with TFP Dev. Corp.
However, Pancrudo said the water treatment plant can be further expanded with five more modules to further increase its output to 10MLD given the potential water consumers in Barangay Balubal alone.
“We now have 21 subdivisions under construction in Balubal with a total of 36,000 units,” said Bactong. “Aside from that, we already have six gas stations, and other agri-processing plants for our cassava, corn and other agricultural produce will also expand once water becomes readily available.”
Bactong said Balubal already has a population of 13,000 composed of approximately 5,000 households which is expected to grow further now the water treatment plant is operational.
Previously, potable water to the barangay was supplied through a pipeline from the Manolo Fortich Water District which could only serve 100 households with an intermittent supply since priority is given to Manolo Fortich residents. The barangay also has its own Level II water system, but even this is woefully inadequate to serve the barangay residents daily needs.
Pancrudo said the new Level III water supply system will not only serve the daily needs of Balubal residents but be cheaper as well.
“The cost per liter is .05 centavos, very affordable compared to bottled water which costs P20/liter,” Pancrudo said. “Furthermore, you only pay for the actual volume of water you consume, unlike in other water districts which charge you a minimum rate whether or not you actually consume the full amount. Not the least, since this is a Level III water system, residents will have water supplied straight to their households 24/7.”
LLJ Water Resources Corporation Chairman Luis Ramon P. Lorenzo, Jr. concurred, as he stressed, “We have to work together, especially for the least and the last in our society. Ayaw nato kalimtan ang atong mga pobre.”
He further emphasized the imperative need for teamwork in learning to move forward with examples of the solutions-oriented culture to assist our people, and the importance of acknowledging the Almighty as Stewards of what God gave us.
“It is in thanking the Lord, through our work through the people we have here now, we can in our own small way do our part,” he added.
Not the least, former Rotary District Governor Gigi Go lauded Task Force Patubig Development Corp and JE Hydro and Bio-Energy Corp. for undertaking the Balubal Level III Potable Water Supply Project.
“Today – we are not just inaugurating a potable water supply project-we are celebrating progress, health and a better future for every resident who has struggled with water scarcity for years. With this Level III water supply project, we are ensuring that clean, safe and accessible water is no longer a luxury, but a basic right that every resident of Balubal can enjoy.”
If given the chance to serve as city councilor, Go committed to push for more sustainable water projects, better infrastructure, and stronger public private partnerships to ensure that no barangay is left behind.
“Access to basic services, including clean water, should never be a privilege-it should be a priority,” she stressed.
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