For students of Sigkuran Mangyan School in Sitio Sigkuran, Villa Cerveza, Victoria, Oriental Mindoro, getting a drink of water during class hours can mean going home or spending money their families may not readily have.
Mindoro State University (MinSU) is working to ease this daily burden through Project ECODROP, a solar-powered rainwater collection and filtration system expected to benefit around 150 students and members of the surrounding Mangyan community.
The initiative grew out of a concern brought to the University by Sts. Joachim and Anne Parish in Macatoc, Victoria. Through its pastoral visits and Mass celebrations in Sitio Sigkuran, one of the remote communities it serves, the parish saw the difficulties that residents faced in accessing safe drinking water and sought MinSU’s assistance.
Responding to the concern, the University assessed the area’s water needs and developed a practical solution that uses rainwater, an alternative spring water source, and renewable energy to help make treated water more accessible.
Initiated by MinSU President Dr. Enya Marie D. Apostol, ECODROP stands for Eco-friendly Collection and Optimization of Drainage for Reliable On-Demand Potable Water.
“Napakahalaga po talaga sa amin nito dahil ito po ‘yung pagkakataon na magkaroon ng malinis na inuming tubig para po dito sa aming paaralan. Alam naman po natin ngayon na napakadelikado kapag ang mga bata ay nagkaroon ng sakit galing sa maruming tubig,” said Mark Anthony B. Ronquillo, School Head of Sigkuran Mangyan School.
For the school, the project addresses a need that extends beyond the classroom. Ronquillo explained that residents typically rely on river and spring water for washing clothes, cleaning, and bathing. Drinking water, however, has to be purchased from a local water refilling station, adding to the expenses of families with limited resources.
The lack of readily available drinking water also affects students’ time in school. Some go home during class hours just to drink water, while others spend their own money to buy drinking supplies.
With ECODROP, the University aims to bring a more accessible source of treated water directly to the school, reducing the need for learners to leave their classes or spend money just to quench their thirst.
The system features a reservoir with a capacity of approximately 1,000 liters. Gutters collect rainwater from the roof and direct it into the tank, where the water undergoes several filtration and treatment stages, including sediment filtration, carbon block filtration, activated carbon, water softening, and ultraviolet (UV) treatment.
A nearby spring can also serve as an alternative water source, while solar panels provide power for the system’s operation.
As installation nears completion, ECODROP is expected to provide the school with an additional source of treated water, helping address a basic need that has long affected learners and their families.
“Super El Niño poses a serious threat to clean water security, especially in vulnerable communities. Through Project ECODROP, we hope to help mitigate its effects by providing an alternative source of treated water, easing the community’s access to this basic necessity, particularly the Mangyan learners, and improving the daily lives of the people we serve,” said President Apostol.
The project is being implemented through a partnership among MinSU, Sigkuran Mangyan School, and Sts. Joachim and Anne Parish. The University oversees the system’s installation, the school provides the project site, and the parish takes charge of monitoring and communication to help support its maintenance.
ECODROP reflects MinSU’s continuing efforts to translate research and innovation into practical solutions for community needs, particularly in areas where access to essential resources remains a challenge.
For the children of Sitio Sigkuran, however, the project's impact may be measured in something much simpler: having drinking water within reach at school, without the added expense or the need to leave class just to quench their thirst.
Project ECODROP is expected to be completed by November 2026, ahead of the anticipated effects of Super El Niño in the province. (kpic/jdtdc)
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