1 minute read
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Cummins and Water.org launch partnership
Cummins and Water.org officially launched their partnership in the Philippines.
The launch consisted of a small gathering of representatives of Cummins Sales and Service Philippines Inc (CSSPI) and stakeholders of Water.org: ARDCI Microfinance Inc, the Alitagtag Water District, the ASA Philippines Foundation, and the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines.
Advertisement
Gay Santos, SEA Regional Director of Water.org, welcomed attendees and gave an overview of Water.org and its advocacy in the Philippines. Toni de Guzman, Corporate Counsel and Project Sponsor for the Water.org partnership, presented on the Cummins Water Works Program and how Cummins aims to contribute to the collective action to solve the growing global water crisis. Representatives from ARDCI and the Alitagtag Water District also shared the initiatives and challenges they currently face.
Water.org Philippines gave a detailed presentation on its WaterCredit and WaterConnect Programs. The WaterCredit Program focuses on providing technical and monetary assistance to financial institutions to develop microfinance loans for water and sanitation improvements in the country. The WaterConnect Program works to build capacity for water utility providers’ infrastructure development needs and support institutions that can fund infrastructure projects.
A Cummins grant will be used to support the programs. The main beneficiaries will be ARDCI, the Mindanao Microfinance Council, the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines, and the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development Inc.
Attendees at the event had the opportunity to visit a water station in the Alitagtag Water District. They also visited a customer’s home, who shared how their water supply situation had greatly improved since being connected to the water distribution utility.
The day ended with attendees visiting the offices of ASA Philippines, a microfinancing organisation that lends to women who want to build proper toilets for their homes.
