To ensure the success and sustainability of the Bio Sand Water Filters (BSWF) in Bicol, a Clean Water for Health Summit was initiated by Australian Rotarian Ruth Carlos-Martinez and will be held in Sorsogon, this first week of November.

        Members of the Rotary Club of Metro Sorsogon with President Butch Guides and the local Peace Corps group will coordinate the activities with the overseas and local visitors while in Sorsogon.

        The summit, chaired by Ms. Carlos-Martinez, will be attended by visiting Melbourne Rotarians, including an Australian water engineer/consultant for WaterCare treatment and a Canadian BSWF water engineer/technocrat.

        Philippine attendees are visitors from other provinces such as Clark, Pampanga, Peace Corps units and Rotarians from Naga led by the BSWF pioneer in Bicol, Dr. Francis Dabu.

        The water care consultants are international experts in the field of water health and sanitation. “I have taken this opportunity to invite the experts to review the feasibility of further assistance in water care not only for Sorsogon but other Philippine provinces.” Ms. Carlos-Martinez was quoted as saying.

        Ms. Carlos-Martinez noted that while the key purpose of the summit is to review the long term sustainability of BSWF for Sorsogon, a feasibility appraisal of other water projects are in the boil. Included are a site review of the terrain/water source for a water rehabilitation management project and a proposed installation of a water catchment dam.

        The water rehab will gravity feed/pipe the clean water to barangays in the central town to allow residents to have access to free clean water from centrally installed water stations.

        The water catchment dam, on the other hand, will collect clean rainwater, again for free access by residents. These projects have been successfully completed in Tarlac province and in East Timor by the Australian Rotarians.

        The projects are a fitting example of Rotarians that Care and Make Dreams Real.