For 26-year-old Avegail Salta, a mother from Sitio Burog in Barangay San Vicente, Bamban, Tarlac, the struggle for clean water has shaped nearly every aspect of daily life. For the past two decades, her community has depended on a single deep well or poso as their main water source. But the well, like their hopes, often ran dry.
“Mahirap bombahin ang tubig. Minsan kahit anong effort, hindi na talaga umaakyat,” Avegail shared.
To cope, residents began spending the night beside the well, hoping to be first in line when water finally came. It became an unspoken system — those who waited longest got the best chance. “Hindi mo alam kung aabutan ka pa ng tubig kapag huli ka na sa pila,” she added.
When the well failed, the only option was to walk half an hour to a natural spring, following steep and uneven paths while carrying heavy buckets of water. The trip was especially difficult for mothers like Avegail, who also had to worry about leaving their children behind. For families in Sitio Burog, the lack of clean water wasn’t just inconvenient. It was a daily crisis that tested both strength and sacrifice.
Her voice trembled as she recalled painful memories: “Nagka-amoeba ang pamangkin ko, at anak ko nagka-diarrhea dahil sa tubig.” Despite knowing the risks, the community had no choice but to use what was available.
So when Avegail first heard about Roots to Shoots, a multi-sectoral initiative focused on improving access to water, nutrition, health, and early childhood development, she was cautious. “Nag-alinlangan ako noong una, pero pinagpasadiyos ko na lang,” she said.
The program’s efforts in Sitio Burog were made possible through the collaboration of Manila Water Foundation, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., World Vision Development Foundation, and Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, with support from Clark Water Corporation and Clark Development Corporation.
That uncertainty has turned into quiet hope. With the arrival of a clean and accessible water system through the Roots to Shoots program, change is beginning to take root in Sitio Burog.
Avegail now dreams of simpler, safer days: children who can bathe regularly, families protected from waterborne diseases, and a future where her daughter, Jonagail, grows up healthier and stronger.
“Maraming salamat kasi dumating sila,” she said with heartfelt conviction, referring to the partner organizations. “Alam kong marami pa silang matutulungan, yung mga may problema sa tubig, sa kalusugan ng mga bata, at sa mga garden na nagbibigay ng nutrisyon.”
Avegail remains deeply thankful for the changes taking root in her community. She sees the Roots to Shoots initiative as both a lifeline and a blessing. “Sana lalo pang ibalik sa kanila ng Panginoon ang mga ginawa nila para mapabuti ang buhay sa komunidad.”
In Sitio Burog, the flow of water has finally begun to reflect the strength and resilience of its people and the enduring hope of one mother for a brighter future for her child.
Read the related story about the deep well inauguration in Sitio Burog
