TACLOBAN CITY — Thirteen local government units (LGUs) in Eastern Visayas have enhanced their technical capacity in water supply management after participating in a specialized hydraulic analysis training conducted by the regional office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The training forms part of the government’s continuing efforts to improve access to safe and reliable water in rural and underserved communities, in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 6 on clean water and sanitation.
Participating LGUs included Cabucgayan in Biliran; Jipapad in Eastern Samar; Inopacan in Leyte; Biri, Capul, and Lapinig in Northern Samar; Talalora, Tagapul-an, and Santo Niño in Samar; and Anahawan, Limasawa, Padre Burgos, and San Ricardo, all in Southern Leyte.
The participants—composed of municipal engineers, planning and development coordinators, and other technical personnel—underwent training on hydraulic analysis using the EPANET software.
The activity was organized by the DILG’s Project Development and Management Unit (PDMU) to help LGUs design, plan, and evaluate water systems under the 2026 Support and Assistance Fund to Participatory Budgeting (SAFPB).
DILG Regional Director Arnel Agabe emphasized the importance of strengthening local technical expertise to ensure the effective implementation of water supply projects. He added that the initiative also promotes transparency, accountability, and participatory governance through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).
“This is already the third year of the LGSF-SAFPB program, which initially focused on water supply projects to support Sustainable Development Goal No. 6 on clean water and sanitation,” Agabe said.
He noted that from nine projects in 2024 and eight in 2025, the number of funded projects in Eastern Visayas has increased to 15 in 2026—13 of which are water supply projects being implemented by the participating LGUs.
The training is expected to improve the planning, design, and long-term sustainability of local water systems, ultimately expanding access to clean and dependable water sources for communities across the region.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
