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Diarrhea outbreak in Davao possibly caused by water contamination due to flooding

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Submitted by: Lyka Agustin

Photo URL: https://www.mindanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/07davaoflood-837x628.jpg
Website URL: https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2022/07/diarrhea-outbreak-in-davao-possibly-caused-by-water-contamination-due-to-flooding/

TITLE: Diarrhea outbreak in Davao possibly caused by water contamination due to flooding

Photographed by: Gregorio C. Bueno
AUTHOR: Antonio L. Colina IV

DATE PUBLISHED: July 18, 2022

KEY INFO: This is a photograph that was captured by Gregorio and according to MindaNews, Dr. Ashley Lopez said that the recent flooding possibly contaminated the city’s water system and caused the diarrhea outbreak in Davao.

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Submitted by: Sebastian Crisostomo

URL: https://www.globalwaters.org/sites/default/files/water-energy-food-assessment-mindanao-philippines.pdf

TITLE: Assessment of Water-Energy-Food Nexus Tradeoffs for Mindanao

AUTHOR: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

DATE PUBLISHED: November 2018

KEY INFO: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Building Low Emission Alternatives to Develop Economic Resilience and Sustainability Project (B-LEADERS) quantified surface water supplies for Mindanao.

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Submitted by: Sebastian Crisostomo

URL: https://ovpaa.up.edu.ph/book-by-up-researchers-shows-ph-water-crisis-likely-if-institutions-remain-weak/

TITLE: Water Policy in the Philippines

AUTHOR: Dr. UP researchers

DATE PUBLISHED: March 14, 2018

KEY INFO: it is because demographic shifts, urbanization and climate change are increasingly transforming the face of water supply and demand in the country.

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For UP professors Dr. Agnes C. Rola, Dr. Juan M. Pulhin and Dr. Rosalie Arcala Hall, editors of the recently-published book Water Policy in the Philippines, it is because demographic shifts, urbanization and climate change are increasingly transforming the face of water supply and demand in the country.

For one, per capita water availability declined over the years, with economic growth and population increases exerting pressure on demand and decreased water sources due to the degradation of watersheds affecting supply. In fact, Rola, Pulhin and Arcala project that by 2025, in a high-economic growth scenario, there will be negative water balance in some regions as a result of escalating water demand in Metro Manila.

Add to this the severe problems of pollution and the rising costs of potable supply. Effluents discharged in water bodies increased along with the growing population and greater economic activities. "Surface water accounts for about three quarters of freshwater supply but many of the major rivers and lakes are heavily polluted," the UP professors say.

Water Policy in the Philippines brings together the findings of the two-year collaborative research of UP Visayas, UP Baguio and UP Los Baños. The research, funded by the Emerging Interdisciplinary Research Grant, drew on primary data from , focus group discussions and multi-sectoral discussions in various provinces to evaluate in depth some cases that demonstrate the complexity of water management in the Philippines. They found that "there is no water policy to speak of except for highly localized and perhaps politically-contingent water governance schemes that vary from one area to the next."

The editors articulate that "water as a policy area in the Philippines exhibits the kind of multi-layered complexity and fragmentation, as multiple institutions with hierarchical areas of coverage, varying mandates (regulatory and customary) and sectoral inhabit its universe. Participants include state agencies and non-state actors (NGOs and civil society) but their ability to influence outcomes is highly uneven."

Using perspectives from the bio-physical and social sciences, the book then maps and examines the current state of the water sector in the country not only in terms of demand, supply and uses but also with regard to legal, institutional and policy arrangements, and performance in the domestic, industrial, agriculture and fisheries, environment and multiple use sectors. The analysis taps inter-, multi- and trans-disciplinary approaches and is made at various levels - community and local and national governments.

The book is composed of 14 chapters written by UP researchers and in three chapters, jointly with experts from the Subic Bay Water Regulatory Board, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and De La Salle University.

Among the results presented in the book are the following:

- Institutional arrangements are complex, multilayered and fragmented and tasks such as planning and monitoring are duplicated.

- Domestic water use is patterned after the country's demographic distribution in which urban and town centers are favored over rural and urbanizing areas with respect to infrastructure.

- The cases of nickel and chromium mining in Sta. Cruz, Zambales; gold mining in Padcal, Benguet Province; and the biophysical deterioration of the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando river system due to factory effluents show how difficulties in implementing environmental laws result in water pollution and public health issues.

- Many laws and regulations are not implemented due to inconsistencies and the lack of capacity to monitor resources and enforce laws

- Water systems with multiple uses such as the Angat and San Roque Reservoirs and the Laguna Lake and Agusan Rivers are open to conflicting uses from opposing socio-economic objectives or even as a result physical configuration of the components of the system.

- The Philippines will suffer from an impending water crisis if institutions are not strengthened.

The book ends by proposing policies and strategies towards achieving water security especially for the poor.

Water Policy in the Philippines is published by global company Springer as part of the Issues in Water Resources Policy Series.

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Book by UP researchers shows PH water crisis likely if institutions remain weak

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For UP professors Dr. Agnes C. Rola, Dr. Juan M. Pulhin and Dr. Rosalie Arcala Hall, editors of the recently-published book Water Policy in the Philippines, it is because demographic shifts, urbanization and climate change are increasingly transforming the face of water supply and demand in the country.

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Submitted by: Zhyn Prado

URL: https://youtu.be/y9I5dGoHM3o

TITLE: Philippine Water Challenge Webinar: Be Part of the Solution

AUTHOR: Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation

DATE PUBLISHED: September 1, 2021

KEY INFO: It provides understanding on the water supply and sanitation and how to be a part of the solution. It also shows the problems of clean sanitation that has been the cause of water contamination and diseases.

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Philippine Water Challenge Webinar: Be Part of the Solution

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Submitted by: Alexa Lanestosa

URL: https://youtu.be/38P-ZrjZ5N8
TITLE: IMPROVING ACCESS TO SAFE WATER

AUTHOR: UNICEF
DATE PUBLISHED: October 14, 2015

KEY INFO: The documentary shows how Irene, a mother, had an alternative method of drinking water; she would boil tap water to make it clean. Given that they not have access to clean water, they have devised a solution to their problems. Irene dilao is one of many Filipinos who would fetch water in the woods every day. In addition to the issue of lack of access to drinking water, they have no assurance that the water they drink is safe, putting theirs and their children's health at risk.
In the Philippines, UNICEF is collaborating with local government units to teach communities about household water treatment and storage in order to keep them free of diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever, and intestinal worms.

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Submitted by: Alexa Lanestosa

URL: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6MRdEIUhgsJ9xAwYD9OII1?si=37ea8caf61ad433a

TITLE: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

AUTHOR: JORDAN PLATERO

DATE PUBLISHED: JUNE 2022

KEY INFO: This podcast discusses how water scarcity affects people around the world and what we can do to help solve water scarcity. Everyone on the planet benefits from having access to clean water.

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Listen to this episode from Clean Water and Sanitation on Spotify. How water scarcity is impacting people around the world and what we can do to help solve water scarcity.

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(14) NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION OR ACADEMIC INSTITUTION ARTICLE

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(14) NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION OR ACADEMIC INSTITUTION ARTICLE

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Submitted by: Sebastian Crisostomo

URL: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2016/10/31/clean-water-brings-helps-conflict-affected-communities-in-mindanao

TITLE: Clean Water Helps Conflict-Affected Communities in Mindanao

AUTHOR: World Bank / Alana Holmberg

DATE PUBLISHED: October 31, 2016

KEY INFO: The multi-donor Mindanao Trust Fund managed by the World Bank encourages communities, local government and insurgent groups to work together in the planning and implementation of community-based projects.

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Mindanao, Philippines - It's late in the afternoon. Nhor Momin stands by the water faucets. Satisfied no more customers are coming to collect water, she turns off the taps, locking them in place with a simple brass padlock. Nhor collects the day's takings, hails a scooter and heads home.

Access to clean drinking water is now a part of life for residents of Upper Campo Islam. But for the 20 years leading up to 2011, the community did not have access to clean water. As one of many conflict-affected communities in Mindanao, Upper Campo Islam has long-suffered from poor infrastructure, a lack of basic services and weak local governance.

"Life was difficult without [clean] water," remembers Nhor. "We needed to haul it from other villages, pay 12 Philippine Pesos ($0.25) per container, and pay again to transport it home. If we went three or four times a day it would cost us 70- 80 Philippine Pesos ($1.25-$1.67) just in transport. So it was hard - 80 Pesos is too much for us."

Upper Campo Islam is located in the municipality of Labangan, southern Mindanao. Like much of the province, it has struggled with three types of conflict - rido (violent feuds between families or clans), politically-motivated violence, and armed insurgency. Nhor personally has been affected by rido.

"It's like killing one member of the family, then one is killed back, then another killing. [Even after we moved] two of my brothers were shot because of this family conflict. One brother was killed in front of our house."

Nhor returned home to Upper Campo Islam in 2007, after ten years abroad working as a domestic helper in the Middle East. Frustrated by the lack of water, she and members of her village's People Organization worked hard to get a water supply project going in the community. The project now gives around 1,000 people in the municipality access to fresh, clean drinking water via both public and private faucets.

"Water is life. The day the water started to flow out from the taps; it was a feast. We were all very happy, I was the happiest one. I cried because I knew I'd done something right for the community."

The water supply project in Upper Campo Islam was facilitated by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), the development arm of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Following a 2001 agreement between the government of the Philippines and the MILF, BDA is tasked to determine, lead, and manage relief, rehabilitation and development projects in the conflict-affected areas.

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Clean Water Helps Conflict-Affected Communities in Mindanao

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Mindanao, Philippines - It's late in the afternoon. Nhor Momin stands by the water faucets. Satisfied no more customers are coming to collect water, she turns off the taps, locking them in place with a simple brass padlock. Nhor collects the day's takings, hails a scooter and heads home.

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Submitted by: Alexa Lanestosa

URL: https:https://iwash.gov.ph/why-water-is-a-challenge-in-mapanas-northern-samar-and-how-it-is-addressed-by-the-integrated-wash-approach-2/

TITLE: Why water is a challenge in Mapanas, Northern Samar and how it is addressed by the integrated WASH approach

AUTHOR: Ken Aliliran

DATE PUBLISHED: March 20, 2018

KEY INFO: In the Philippines, 455 municipalities are waterless or do not have access to safe drinking water. Out of 101 million Filipinos, 9 million do not have access to safe drinking water, and 19 million do not have access to improved sanitation.
Mapanas is surrounded by bodies of water, yet its residents do not have access to safe drinking water or face water scarcity.

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Mapanas, Northern Samar is located in the borders of the Pacific. This municipality is considered as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas in the Philippines because it is physically and socio-economically separated from the mainstream society.

The communities, which have high incidence of poverty, are isolated due to distance, state and condition of the weather and climate, and transportation difficulties.

Out of 1,489 municipalities in the Philippines, 455 are waterless or having no access to safe water. Out of 101 million Filipinos, 9 million people lack access to safe water, while 19 million lack access to improved sanitation.

Paradoxically, Mapanas is surrounded by bodies of water and yet its constituents do not have access to safe water or are suffering from water scarcity.

"Communities are considered waterless when half of its population don't have access to clean water. The number one cause of this problem is that the water source is simply too far to access, making it difficult and expensive to develop a proper water system. Second is the economic status of the community-if it is poor, no one would want to invest in building a water system. Maybe eventually someone would consider it, but oftentimes the possibility is too remote. If it is not economically feasible, why would investors be convinced to put up a water system in a poor community whose residents would have a hard time convincing to pay for the services? Third is the geographical situation. If the community is isolated, there's not enough people there, their source of water would not be desirable." - Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, Undersecretary of the Department of Health

To address the issue on water scarcity and the fragmentation in the implementation of water and sanitation projects, the integrated safe water, sanitation and hygiene (iWaSH) approach has been implemented and piloted to ten municipalities in the Philippines, one of which is Mapanas, through the Joint Programme on Promoting Water and Sanitation Access, Integrity, Empowerment, Rights, and Resiliency, or PROWATER and the iWaSH Governance Programme.

This effort is to ensure the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal 6, which "ensures water and sanitation for all."

The iWaSH approach ensures a complete package of interventions consisting of social preparation and community organizing, construction of water supply and sanitation facilities and behavioral change campaigns. All these interventions are implemented in an integrated manner.
Community Engagement
The members of the community have been invited to take part on the development of community murals. They are the ones who conceptualize and painted the mural design based on their understanding on the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene.

Focus Group Discussion, community organizing, training and monitoring

"My children used to suffer from diarrhea before. We didn't have a toilet then. It was only when I attended the CLTS Training when I realized and be acquainted on the importance of having one. Now, we already have a temporary toilet." - Rhea Kapuquian, Participant of the Community-Led Total SanitatioN Training

At the end of the intervention, the Joint Programme on PROWATER and the iWaSH Governance Programme envision for:
Healthy communities that have adequate and equitable access to water and sanitation, and that practice good hygiene.

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Why water is a challenge in Mapanas, Northern Samar and how it is addressed by the integrated WASH approach (A Photo Story) - iWaSH

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Mapanas, Northern Samar is located in the borders of the Pacific. This municipality is considered as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas in the Philippines because it is physically and socio-economically separated from the mainstream society.

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Submitted by: Pink Nacional

URL: https://pin.it/5pp6HVP

TITLE: Philippines: Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Factsheet

AUTHOR: Asia P3 Hub

DATE PUBLISHED: 2017

KEY INFO: The infographic showcases the statistics of the population who lack clean water and sanitation. This also reveals those who affected and die due to water-borne diseases from lack of clean water.

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Submitted by: Lyka Agustin

URL: https://youtu.be/ATz84RG96Wg

TITLE: Water Pollution Vlog

AUTHOR: Adrian Cardiño

DATE PUBLISHED: September 24, 2018

KEY INFO: The vlog featured the effects of water pollution or contamination on the citizens of the Philippines. Many locals believe that we, as irresponsible humans, are to blame for the contamination and the reason why we don't have enough safe water sources.

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Submitted by: Lyka Agustin

URL: https://borgenproject.org/water-pollution-in-the-philippines/

TITLE: Water Pollution in the Philippines

AUTHOR: Mohammed Khalid

DATE PUBLISHED: April 8, 2018

KEY INFO: This blog shows the effect of water pollution and contaminated water sources that kill 55 individuals each day and the lack of access to basic sanitary facilities in the Philippines.

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Water is often equated with life itself. But for an archipelagic region in Southeast Asia sandwiched between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, water pollution in the Philippines has caused this precious resource to be anything but life's sustenance. According to a report released by the Asian Development Bank, "heavy inorganic pollutants have made water increasingly a threat to life."

A Threat to Life

The Philippines is a developing country that is also undergoing rapid urbanization and industrialization. Out of more than one hundred million Filipinos, nine million rely on unsafe water supplies. In fact, water pollution in the Philippines and a lack of proper sewage kills 55 people every day.

Katrina Arianne Ebora, part of UNICEF's Water, Sanitation and Hygiene program in the Philippines, notes that access to adequate sanitation facilities is a problem for more than 30 million Filipinos.

This portion of the population is forced to spend considerable time, effort and energy in procuring water. Families without a sanitary toilet often face the embarrassment of venturing outside to relieve themselves. Some resort to asking their neighbors to utilize their sanitary toilet facilities.

Environmental group Greenpeace has previously warned that Filipinos in key agricultural areas are drinking water contaminated with nitrates. After conducting a study on important farming areas, Greenpeace warned that nitrate levels were alarmingly above the safety limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The group also noted that "drinking water from 30 percent of all groundwater wells sampled in [the Philippines and Thailand] showed nitrates levels above the WHO safety limit of 50 mg l-1 of nitrate."

Water Shortage

Due to water pollution in the Philippines, the country is likely to face a shortage of water for sanitation, drinking, agriculture and industrial purposes in the next ten years.

In an Asia Development Bank report, the Philippines' regional group - which includes Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam - has made gains in improving water security. However, the region is home to a sixth of the global population and the poorest people in the world. With agriculture consuming a staggering 80 percent of the region's water, the region is a global hotspot for water insecurity.

Water conservation efforts in the Philippines by many local and international companies have protected the water supplies for future use. Coca-Cola has pledged nearly $1.4 million for a five-year project with the World Wildlife Fund to protect the capital's drinking water source, the Ipo Watershed. The Cement Manufacturers' Association of the Philippines, an industry that heavily uses water, has started initiatives to capture and utilize rainwater for many production needs.

Investing in Clean Water

In 2014, Water.org began providing philanthropic and technical support to offset water pollution in the Philippines by expanding its WaterCredit program. Water.org's statistics show that 75 percent of Filipinos are willing to invest in water and sanitation loans. Between 2015 to 2017, the organization and its partners worked with eight different microfinance institutions to conduct research and training in fulfilling the high demand for clean water and sanitation access.

Experts have a consensus on the water improvement efforts in the country: the Philippines government, environmental action groups, industries and locals need to work together on more initiatives to avert the impending water crisis that may beset the region in the not-so-distant future.
- Mohammed Khalid

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Water Pollution in the Philippines - The Borgen Project

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Water is often equated with life itself. But for an archipelagic region in Southeast Asia sandwiched between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, water pollution in the Philippines has caused this precious resource to be anything but life's sustenance.

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Japan builds 5 water systems for over 3,000 families in Mindanao

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Submitted by: Jon Espiña

URL: https://mb.com.ph/2022/03/16/japan-builds-5-water-systems-for-over-3000-families-in-mindanao/

TITLE: Japan builds 5 water systems for over 3,000 families in Mindanao

AUTHOR: Betheena Unite

DATE PUBLISHED: March 16, 2022, 1:22 PM

KEY INFO:
In Mindanao, having access to clean water can have a significant impact on the lives of many people. It can help to foster peace and alleviate poverty. By ensuring that people have greater access to these requirements, we can also enable them to fulfill their potential and eventually advance their own society by educating people about the value of clean water and sanitation, which will also have an impact on future activities.

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Water facilities were recently constructed by the Japanese government in Lanao del Sur, Cotabato, and Maguindanao to benefit various villages in the provinces.

(Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines)

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko turned over Level II water systems to the Mindanao villages on March 9, 10, and 15.

Water reservoirs with treatment facilities with multiple tap stands were constructed and renovated in Barangays Banago, Poblacion, Narra, Batuan, Magulalung Occidental in Balabagan, Lanao del Sur; Barangay Nanga-an in Kabacan, Cotabato; and Barangay Reina Regente in Datu Piang, Maguindanao.

The water system projects are expected to benefit over 2,000 households in Lanao del Sur; over 1,000 households and close to 300 students in Cotabato; and nearly 100 households in Maguindanao.

According to the Koshikawa, the projects also generated hundreds of employment opportunities for the locals.

"By ensuring better access to the basic necessities, we empower the people to realize their own potentials, and eventually, to contribute to the development of their own society," the ambassador said as he emphasized the significance of human security that Japan is strongly advocating for.

(Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines)

The initiative was funded by the People of Japan and was implemented under the ILO-Japan Water and Sanitation Project that was signed on March 6, 2019.

The whole project consists of 11 water station sub-projects estimated to benefit almost 12,000 households in the Bangsamoro region.

Since 1974, Japan has a longstanding cooperation with the ILO. In the Philippines, Japan has supported a number of ILO projects on disaster response, sustainable livelihood, peace and security, local economic development, among others.

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Japan builds 5 water systems for over 3,000 families in Mindanao

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Water facilities were recently constructed by the Japanese government in Lanao del Sur, Cotabato, and Maguindanao to benefit various villages in the provinces. (Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines) Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko turned over Lev

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Mindanao: Clean Water Keeping Children, Families Healthy - ADB

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(8) PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE OR PROMOTIONAL VIDEO 

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(8) PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE OR PROMOTIONAL VIDEO 

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Submitted by: Jon Espiña

URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roNrSR9Veik&list=LL&index=1&t=31s

TITLE: Mindanao: Clean Water Keeping Children, Families Healthy - ADB

AUTHOR: Asian Development Bank

DATE PUBLISHED: Feb 12, 2010

KEY INFO:
highlights the importance of having access to clean water for people to lead happy, healthy lives. Additionally, it emphasizes how important proper sanitation and access to clean water are in reducing the risk of contracting various diseases. Some people who have access to clean water waste it occasionally because they don't realize how important it is to have it, while others struggle to obtain it within their communities.

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Mindanao: Clean Water Keeping Children, Families Healthy - ADB

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Submitted by: Sebastian Crisostomo

URL: https://www.sdgfund.org/pro-water-promoting-water-and-sanitation-access-integrity-empowerment-rights-and-resiliency

TITLE: PRO-WATER: Promoting water and sanitation access, integrity, empowerment, rights and resiliency

AUTHOR: SDGF

DATE PUBLISHED: January 16, 2015

KEY INFO: Corruption and the political culture have greatly diminished the government’s ability to deliver quality public services. One major problem is the fragmentation of structures, policies and programmes on safe water, sanitation and hygiene.

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Water supply in the Philippines
While 84.4% of families have access to safe water, around 56.9%of households do not treat their water. Substantial numbers of people suffer water scarcity and access to basic sanitation. They are at risk for water borne disease.

Corruption and the political culture have greatly diminished the government's ability to deliver quality public services. One major problem is the fragmentation of structures, policies and programmes on safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Locally, the fragmentation manifests in terms of structures, policies and plans. Also, water policies and programs often exclude marginalized groups.
The programme
This joint programme builds on the experiences and gains of two previously implemented MDG-F programmes on on water and sanitation and on climate change adaptation. It seeks to empower citizens and communities with access to sustainable safe water and sanitation services.

It aims to:

Increase the participation of women and girls in planning, decision-making, monitoring and implementation of safe water, sanitation and hygiene projects and programs

Reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases and practice of "open defecation" in target municipalities

The approach
There are 3 components to implementation:

1. Improving local governance of safe water, sanitation and hygiene

2. Demonstrating solutions to broaden access to safe water supply and improve sanitation and hygiene

3. Generating and utilizing knowledge on safe water, sanitation, and hygiene

Women and girls and their communities are the target claim holders. Social institutions for water and sanitation will facilitate community organization and ownership, and provide an effective guarantee for the sustainability of the project.

Approximately 2,000 households in 4 of the poorest provinces will be targeted. There will be 3 regional knowledge hubs created. In its second year, the programme will apply tested and refined solutions to other waterless municipalities in the other poorest provinces in the Philippines.

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PRO-WATER: Promoting water and sanitation access, integrity, empowerment, rights and resiliency

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Water supply in the PhilippinesWhile 84.4% of families have access to safe water, around 56.9%of households do not treat their water. Substantial numbers of people suffer water scarcity and access to basic sanitation. They are at risk for water borne disease.Corruption and the political culture have greatly diminished the government's ability to deliver quality public services.

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Submitted by: Zhyn Prado

URL: https://youtu.be/ZcIeBtyOXEY

TITLE: Government needs ₱3.5-B to address Sanitation Crisis

AUTHOR: CNN Philippines

DATE PUBLISHED: November 20, 2019

KEY INFO: In the news, it shows that the government needs a high budget, which is  ₱3.5-B to provide the communities in the Philippines clean sanitation in order for them to solve the sanitation problems. The government will help to stop the open defecation problem and for the people to change their old habits in order to stop polio and cholera diseases to arise because of water contamination.

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Government needs ₱3.5-B to address Sanitation Crisis

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Born to be Wild: San Juan River, one of Manila's biologically dead river

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(5) LOCAL OR NATIONAL NEWS VIDEO SEGMENT

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(5) LOCAL OR NATIONAL NEWS VIDEO SEGMENT

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Submitted by: Jon Espiña

URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfaCbe98JpQ

TITLE: Born to be Wild: San Juan River, one of Manila's biologically dead river

AUTHOR: GMA Public Affairs

DATE PUBLISHED: May 27, 2018

KEY INFO:
Cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio are just a few of the illnesses that can spread due to contaminated water and poor sanitation. By dumping trash in various public spaces throughout their towns, many uninformed people are seeking to harm society and contribute to water pollution. Some circumstances, such as having even moderate rain or even high winds, will have an impact and prepare the way for the creation of floods that will put many people in danger.

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Born to be Wild: San Juan River, one of Manila's biologically dead river

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Submitted by: Zhyn Prado

URL: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/news/improving-water-security-in-the-philippines/

TITLE: Improving water security in the Philippines - British Geological Survey

AUTHOR: British Geological Survey

DATE PUBLISHED: October 6, 2021

KEY INFO: Water security and supply in the Philippines are scarce and the people rely on unsafe water sources. Due to people relying on unsafe water sources, the people lack maintaining basic hygiene to prevent from getting infectious diseases. It presents serious consequences to health.

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Water supplies in parts of the Philippines are frequently scarce and, as a consequence, supplies are frequently shut down to preserve capacity. Six to eight months of the year are largely dry: during these months, acute water shortages occur and people rely on drinking water sources that may not be safe. They may also lack sufficient water for washing to maintain basic hygiene to prevent infection from disease. Such inadequate and intermittent water supply in parts of the country present serious consequences to health.

Groundwater currently supplies more than 50 per cent of the potable water supply and 85 per cent of the piped water supply in the Philippines. Groundwater is strategically and economically important to current and future water supply and is the principle source of dry season river flows, which in turn are often used for drinking water.

Adapting to a warmer climate and a growing urban population

Current projections of climate up to 2050 suggest the Philippines will become warmer, with increasing temperature and decreasing rainfall during the dry season and more extreme rainfall events during the wet season. This will undoubtedly exacerbate both water availability during periods of drought and the magnitude of flood events during periods of heavy rainfall.

In addition to water stresses from a changing climate, the population is expected to increase by around 50 per cent up to 2050, with the urban population set to double over the same period. This will further exacerbate pressures on future water resources.

Data-driven response to future demand for water

Part of the water supply problem is due to the lack of up-to-date information on groundwater levels. In the past, water supply permits have been cancelled because of the expected usage of groundwater as predicted using look-up tables. The BGS-led Philippine Groundwater Outlook (PhiGO) project is piloting a data-driven response to groundwater levels by installing sensors in two key urban areas.

Borehole sensors have been installed at pilot projects in Pampanga Province (near Manila) and Iloilo City. Installed in multiple locations across these regions, these sensors deliver near real-time groundwater monitoring data that can be used to forecast seasonal and long-term groundwater levels and quality. Groundwater data, along with population and climate data, is used to model the future impacts on groundwater resources and to produce forecasts of flood and drought risk.

Near real-time groundwater monitoring and forecasting

The PhiGO website dashboard shows near real-time data for each well site in the project. Available data includes daily reading of groundwater quality and quantity, e.g. water levels, pH, salinity and temperature. Graphical data also includes electrical conductivity, which is the measure of the ability of the water to pass electricity; any drastic change in electrical conductivity can be an indicator of stress or pollution. Data captured via the dashboard is used for seasonal and long-term forecasts of groundwater levels.

'In a few clicks, residents of Iloilo City and Pampanga can have instant access to the automated and real-time monitoring of groundwater resources in their areas which were recognised as part of the nine highly urbanised water critical cities.'
Fortunato de la Peña, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology.

In January 2020, BGS groundwater scientists ran a series of education events at a number of local schools that host PhiGO well sites and sensors. The 'Introduction to groundwater' sessions were delivered to primary and secondary school students and introduced key terms and processes, including porosity and permeability, how water moves underground and the types of sediments that are effective at filtering pollutants. The materials for these sessions were subsequently translated into four different languages so that education events could be delivered by local teachers and university staff to a greater number of local schools.

Project partners and funding

This NERC and PCIEERD-funded project brings together researchers from the UK (BGS and Imperial College London) with researchers and stakeholders from the Philippines ( AdMU, NWRB, PAGASA and MMSU).

About the author

Further information

Visit PhiGO for more information or contact Andy Barkwith.

References

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Improving water security in the Philippines - British Geological Survey

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Water supplies in parts of the Philippines are frequently scarce and, as a consequence, supplies are frequently shut down to preserve capacity. Six to eight months of the year are largely dry: during these months, acute water shortages occur and people rely on drinking water sources that may not be safe.

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Cholera, sign of inequity, rising in PH with cases up by 254%

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Submitted by: Zhyn Prado

URL: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1690235/cholera-sign-of-inequity-rising-in-ph-with-cases-up-by-254

TITLE: Cholera, sign of inequity, rising in PH with cases up by 254%.

AUTHOR: INQUIRER.NET

DATE PUBLISHED:  November 7, 2022

KEY INFO: Cholera is caused by ingesting contaminated water or food. The source of contamination is from the feces of the infected person that has contaminated the water or food like for example: tap water, vegetables grown with the contaminated water, ice made from tap water, or partly cooked meat or fish from contaminated water with sewage. The water contamination in the water resources has caused cholera cases to rise.

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Cholera, sign of inequity, rising in PH with cases up by 254%

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MANILA, Philippines—From 1902 to 1904, cholera, which is a bacterial disease that spreads through contaminated food or water, killed 109,461 people, mostly poor Filipinos who were still reeling

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Submitted by: Pink Nacional

URL: https://youtu.be/di2Yxd9cA1U

TITLE: Lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and its effects on nutrition

AUTHOR: Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA)

DATE PUBLISHED: February 5, 2016

KEY INFO: Lack of water, sanitation, and hygiene creates an environment that flourishes diseases that can have devastating effects on nutrition which leads to death. Proper access to toilets can help to prevent these deaths, and is an investment in development.

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Lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and its effects on nutrition

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Submitted by: Pink Nacional

URL: https://www.sunstar.com.ph/ampArticle/1823077?fbclid=IwAR0YmSiP3afSfCzfy4y76B9QVm3jFK1LvUzu0ces1APISzN8zZmpWtWACVU

TITLE: 63 Davao City elementary schools ‘have no access' to clean water

AUTHOR: Ralph Lawrence G. Llemit

DATE PUBLISHED: September 14, 2019

KEY INFO: The young are the world's future, and it is critical that they can sustain basic necessities like water in order to improve their overall quality of life. Davao City has 63 elementary schools that do not have access to safe drinking water. Even though some people have water systems, they are insufficient. The water utility service where the schools are located is still not available in the area. As a result, they will continue to suffer from poor water quality and services that are unfit for drinking or other purposes. This is also why students from the surrounding areas get water-borne diseases such as diarrhea.

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OUT of the 290 public elementary schools in Davao City, the Department of Education (DepEd) Davao City Division Health Unit identified 63 schools with no clean and potable water source.

GiftingLife member Liezel Salera on Friday, September 13, said the data was conducted during the first half of the year, wherein some schools in the city particularly in far-flung areas of Paquibato and Marilog District struggle to have access to water source.

GiftingLife is a collaborative project that implements sustainable development solutions in less empowered communities and help improve overall quality of life.

Salera said some schools belong to areas that are still not reached by water utility services such as the Davao City Water District (DCWD). She also said there are schools served by DCWD such as Buhangin and Cabantian yet these areas continue to suffer from poor water service.

"Some schools have (access) to water system. However, they are not sufficient. Some buildings only have few faucets available for accessibilities. Some have condemned water pipes wherein no water would flow into the faucets. While some have inconsistent water flow," Salera said during the Connect press conference at SM Lanang Premier.

She also said some schools have colored and foul odored-water supply while other schools rely on deep-well and water pump ("bomba" for locals), which she said is not safe for drinking and other purposes.

"It's a factor as to why some students are always absent in their classes due to the illness brought about by poor water quality. These could affect their performance in school," she said, adding that most of the students in these areas experience water-borne diseases such as diarrhea.

She also said access to clean water has been a long-time problem.

According to a 2015 study of the National Sewerage and Septage Management Program (NSSMP), 55 Filipinos die every day due to the lack of clean and water sanitation.

While a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) study also shows that diarrhea and water-borne infections are the seventh leading cause of diseases, and 10th leading cause of infant deaths. The study also shows that nine percent of the total population have no access to improved drinking water sources.

Salera said GiftingLife and Force 21, a group that implements sustainable projects to the community, have been in close coordination with DepEd in a program called "Safe Water for Children", which is expected to be implemented in 2020 to six pilot schools in the city.

She said the project will include an establishment of a water purification system wherein a filtering station will be used to sanitize water from its sources such as rivers, lakes, creeks, and rain water.

"This project brings down the cost of safe drinking water per person per year to P100 from P300, or average of 30 cents per liter, which for areas without potable tap water, is a lot cheaper than current solutions," Salera said.

However, she said, the project is only a short-term solution, and the need for long-term solutions such as the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) is still the best way to address the issue on clean and potable water source.

DepEd-Davao spokesperon Jenielito Atillo said that while the data is yet to be validated and finalized, the problem needs an immediate solution since the students will be affected.

He, however, said that Deped has not yet received reports of students who were ill due to the poor water supply in their respective community.

"Diria sa Davao, wala man gyud kaayo ta'y problema pag-abot sa ilimnon. Accessible naman sa DCWD halos tanang schools nato especially sa lagyong lugar. Naa man sab water provision ug mao ginagamit na drinking water sa atong mga lumulupyo (We don't really have much problem here in Davao City when it comes to our water supply accessibility. Almost all schools are already accessed by the DCWD even in far- flung areas. There is also water provision being used as drinking water even by the residents)," Atillo told Sunstar Davao in a phone interview.

However, he said the agency will continue to monitor all school levels.

"We will communicate with the barangays. Then we will assess if there is a need to involve other offices or agencies who could help address their situation," he said.

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63 Davao City elementary schools 'have no access' to clean water

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OUT of the 290 public elementary schools in Davao City, the Department of Education (DepEd) Davao City Division Health Unit identified 63 schools with no clean and potable water source.