I stumbled into San Jose DB website
(www.sanjose-antique.gov.ph) and navigated
through there.

I'm thrilled that San Jose is leading in setting
the 'Banwa' in the right direction. I like the idea
that the 'Banwa kang San Jose DB' has mission and vision,
especially the 'KKK' theme and also the idea of the goals
and projects. 'KKK' is a theme adopted by San Jose DB,
I presume, that stands for 'Ka-ambung, Ka-limpyuhan,
Kalinungan'. I'm, especially, pleased with 'Ka-ambung'
which to me means 'aesthetic beauty' as that's
the theme aspect which I feel is commonly missing in
planning for our towns in Antique.

Well done.

I'm just disappointed that Water Resource Development and
Management along with Sewerage and Drainage Development
and Management are not expressly stated as parts of the
goals and projects. I think to complete and solidify the
'KKK' theme these two services should be included.
It will not only enhance more the image of San Jose as tourist and
vacation destinations for many people but will promote, improve, and
sustain health and sanitation.

There is a mistaken belief that Sewerage and Drainage
Development is too expensive to develop and maintain. It is
not always expensive. It can be cost effective with
proper management systems in place.

Just thinking loud.

its sureness?!!!!!!

It seems that sewerage and drainage system development is currently not among the priority programs of the municipality although it obviously create problems especially during rainy season. The old drainage system is not well-maintained. Catchbasins and manholes are usually designed to capture debris and heavier sediments and will require the removal of a few buckets of material, including garbage, from time to time to prevent clogging and flooding but this is only being done when the actual flooding occurs.

San Jose is relatively a small, elevated town where flooding can easily be prevented with a simple yet efficient drainage system. Waste treatment facilities should be installed in establishments like the hospital, educational institutions and commercial establishments to avoid sanitary problems and their related costs (on health care, medicines, hospitalizations, productivity, etc.)in the surrounding communities especially in communities where water and wastes from the drainage and sewerage system of San Jose are being discharged like in Barangays 8, 4, Malaiba, San Angel and nearby barangays.

The Gaisano Mall (the first mall in Antique) will be opened next year. Proper and sanitary sewerage and drainage system must be in place during its operation so that health problems and other ill-effects of development and urbanization in the municipality will be avoided.

So far, all of the above is still to be seen and government intervention, proper urban planning and project implementation must include prioritizing and putting up of an efficient and sanitary sewerage and drainage system in the municipality.

>It seems that sewerage and drainage system
>development is currently not among the priority
>programs of the municipality although it
>obviously create problems especially during
>rainy season.

This is, of course, not a benign problem.

This is serious short term and long term
problem for any "Banwa" much more so for San Jose.

San Jose is the most populated "Banwa" in Antique
with the least land area. As you can imagine more
people are cramped in every square meter of land
available for habitation. People produce waste
every day that's suppose to go into the sewer,
de-sludged, and treated before dis-charging back
into the surrounding(environment) area.

Currently, as I know it, a number of commercial,
public, and private buildings including domestic
buildings use septic tanks. Many more have no
septic tanks at all and used open pit for these.

There are two major problems here. (1) Septic tanks
are not properly maintained and over the years they
will eventually leak and the seepages from these
leak pollutes the underground water which is the
source of many drinking, bath, and cooking water.
(2) Open pit method definitely produced direct
seepage to the underground water.

I know that many people use bottled water for
drinking. But what about for cooking; for washing
vegetables; for bathing ?

Water from the "Boomba" using underground water,
which appears clear are not necessarily clean, healthy,
and sanitary. It is a major source of water borne diseases
that's debilitating to entire San Jose communities.
Because it is out of sight, it should not mean that
is out of mind.

Sewage management systems in "Banwa" is definitely
a serious concern.

I'd be concerned about these.

There are solutions that may be implemented
immediately. (1) Get a stock take of all septic
tanks already in use and check that these are
not leaking; if they do have it repaired by
the owners. (2) Get a stock take of commercial,
public, and domestic buildings that are using
open pit within the poblacion barangays and
densely populated areas (too many people per
unit of land area) and require the contruction
of sewage disposal systems.

Septic tanks should be discouraged for new
sewage system. Instead the "Aerated Wastewater
and Sewage Treatment System" should be encouraged
especially for public buildings like Hospitals,
Government, Markets, and Shopping Centers" (AWTS).

AWTS are portable and cost effective sewage systems
for a stand alone or group of buildings without
constructing a sophisticaed and expensive system.

The AWTS is essentially engineered as an extension
to the design of any Septic tank. Instead of two
basic compartments like in the Septic tank, there
four basic compartments in AWTS and at least two
processes are added like the aeration of the liquid
waste and disenfection treatement once the liquid is
aerated.

Gaisano was mentioned. I believe this building
is quite substantial in terms of the people
that will use its services. They should be
required to build AWTS if they are not already.

>So far, all of the above is still to be seen
>and government intervention, proper urban planning
>and project implementation must include prioritizing
>and putting up of an efficient and sanitary sewerage
>and drainage system in the municipality.

This true.

Health and Sanitation are the responsibilities of San Jose Municipal Authority(SJMA). Sewage and Drainage directly impacts Health and Sanitation. It also impacts "Banwa" in its ability to attract visitors, perhaps investors, and jobs for the local population.

As I understand it, SJMA realiases it is their responsibility, but it is their understanding that it requires tremendous expertise and cost large amount of outlay. It is beyond their means and resources at this stage.

These are the issues. Is beyond their technical abilities to provide expertise to solve the problem ? Is it beyond means and resources ?

There are long and short answers to these questions. But certainly not beyond reach.

Just thinking loud.

Sewage and drainage, ay ang pinaka importante kag ang pinakanami nga projecto , para sa Health and sanitation program, otherwise it make the BANWA comfortable. Kag maka parayo sa mga peligro sa mga sakit ( Dengue, malaria,tifoide,gastroenteritis,skin deseases, etc...)kag sa problema kon may baha o kon tag ururan kay naga stagnant ang mga tubig kag mga higko, ti, diya ang halinan nga naka tugro kang bahol nga problema sa ekonomiya kang mga katauhan o mga pumoluyo kang banwa.Kon pensaron gid man diya nga projecto need monies.... aaayyy........ money money...( ), pero kon sa kamato-uran in short and long terms barato diya sa bolsa kang mga pumoluyo and of course sa aton gobierno.Aside that ang pagtipon kang mga basura ,ang pag depositar kang mga basura sa mayad kag safety nga lugar ay makatugro man diya kang puwesto ka trabaho sa mga tawo.Kag ang manami nga projecto ay ang pag umpisa maghulag ron kita kadya,amo man ang aton mga lideres kang aton mga local government.Kinahanglan lang kadya ang kon sin-o nga mga lideres ang makahimo kadya nga projecto para diya ang mga tawo ma educate man sa kanami nga mga condukta EDUCATION FOR HEALTH..nami nga iniciative kag hope nga ang tanan nga mga banwa o mga barangays mag himo man sanda kang mga manami nga inisiyatibo para sa improvemant kag sa health kang tanan.NOTHING IS LATE THAN NEVER. Ang manami nga herensiya nga matugro naton sa nagasunod kanaton ay ang manami nga pag obra kag ang manami nga edukasyon.Ang pag ugyon ay isara ka manami nga rason para sa kauswagan kang banwa kag maka motivate sa mga tawo.Mabudlay , pero nothing is mabudlay kon ang tanan naga ugyon para in one cause.This is my faith.