Faculty members and students from WPU College of Engineering and Technology showcase the innovative water filtration system during an extension activity at Signapan Valley. Ransang, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Palawan on April 21, 2025.
Some faculty members and students of the College of Engineering and Technology (CET) – Civil Engineering Department (CED) of Western Philippines University (WPU) conducted a four-day training workshop for the Tau’t Bato community in Signapan Valley, Ransang, in the municipality of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Palawan, on April 21-24, 2025.
Tailored to the tribe’s rugged, upland environment, the filter is easy to maintain and environmentally friendly. To ensure long-term impact, the department organized a “Seminar-Workshop on Water Sanitation, Design, and Maintenance under the college’s STrEnGTH.Con Extension Program, which aligns with WPU’S LIKAS BAYANIHAN framework. The outreach team, comprising student researchers William D. Ragadio Jr., Rockie G. Escobanez Jr., Jeremy Joshua Dave Gepulle, Anjilyn D. Garcellano, Edward G. Sardido, and Engr. Leo D. Ragadio, along with faculty mentors, delivered both the technology and hands-on training to the Tau’t Bato community.
In response to the critical challenge faced by the Tau’t Bato tribe due to limited access to safe drinking water, despite abundant springs, some faculty members and students of the CET-CED introduced an innovative, low-cost filtration system called the “Permeametric Geobiosand Water Filter to the community.
Designed for off-grid communities, this system uses layers of sand, gravel, and a biologically active zone to remove impurities, pathogens, and suspended solids without electricity or chemicals.
The workshop empowered community members with knowledge on water filtration, hygiene, and filter maintenance, fostering self-reliance.
“This is about more than clean water,” said Engr. Kristine Clarisse S. Canilla, a faculty mentor. “It’s about equipping the Tau’t Bato with tools and skills for a healthier future.”
[This article is in line with the SDGs 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, & 17]
Contributor: Engr. John Bryan C. Villapa
Source: Western Philippines University, Research, Innovation, Development, and Extension Department. (2025, June 2). Bayanihan (Issue 1, Vol. 1).