More than 100,000 Filipino families presently living without access to safe water can expect hope to begin flowing into their lives as government has announced plans to invest some P1.5 billion in a special program designed to ensure potable water for the country's waterless cities and municipalities over the next three years.

Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) said yesterday that the government intends to build some 3,558 water systems to serve around 108,450 waterless households by 2010 under President Arroyo's Priority Program on Water (P3W).

"President Arroyo has time and again declared her firm intent to ensure that all Filipino families have access to potable water by 2010. That is why we are keeping a close watch on the progress of this special program," Panganiban said.

The NAPC Secretary said the P3W is designed to increase the number of households with access to potable water supplies in 432 identified municipalities outside Metro Manila.

He said the government had already built water systems for more than 1 million households in 406 municipalities nationwide under the P3W between 2005 and 2007 alone.

"A municipality is considered waterless under the P3W scheme when less than 50% of its households have access to safe drinking water," Panganiban said.

Dr. Roger Concepcion of the NAPC Water and Sanitation Coordinating Unit (WASCO) meanwhile said the majority of the water systems built under the P3W from 2005 to 2007 are located in Mindanao.

"In all, we have served some 309,600 households in Luzon and 384,476 households in the Visayas under the P3W. In Mindanao, we have already ensured safe water for some 402,834 previously waterless households under the P3W program," Concepcion said.

Panganiban said local governments interested in securing services under the P3W must submit a letter of interest to WASCO-NAPC indicating minimum baseline information, current water coverage levels, the proposed project and costs, and a program of work preferably endorsed by the District Engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).