Our global water situation today is very alarming. These are the reports from most of the institutions that focus on our water these days. For example, during the past years, there have been massive buyouts of our major watersheds by various transnational corporations that use enormous amounts of water on their products such as Nestlé, Pepsi, and Coca-cola. This kind of monopoly on our water supply is happening globally and many institutions such as non-government organizations (NGO) and other people’s group are calling for immediate action against this crisis.
These days, one of the major commodities of industries like the three mentioned above is bottled water. The bottles, along with other non-biodegradable and plastic products, contribute to the severe pollution affecting our environment, including our bodies of water. Also, many of our water resources are being exposed to toxic chemical substances coming from agricultural infrastructures and also from plants and factories. This has worsened our environmental problems which will, of course, also lead to many health consequences. Due to fear of chemical contamination and sewage pollution’s, bottled water has also become the most consumed beverages in many parts of the world. For example, in 2016, Nestlé had $7.4 Billion in sales from water alone.
In some parts of America, India, Mexico, and Africa, companies that use huge amount of water like Nestlé pays very little or nothing at all for their extraction which deprives local residents water for their daily consumption (example: Nestlé Makes Billions Bottling Water It Pays Nearly Nothing For). Up to these days, this is a major concern still being raised by different civil society groups around the world.
Water and sanitation in the Philippines
According to Greenpeace in 2007: People in the Philippines derive different uses from water sources. These include water for domestic use, irrigation, hydroelectric power generation and flood control systems. Communities in the Philippines obtained their water supply from different sources such as rainfall, surface water resources, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and underground resources.
In managing this crisis, people must get involved in defending and protecting our water. We also need more sincere governmental efforts and responsibility. Our government should enforce policies that will lead to better management and utilization of our water sources. Regular monitoring of our quality of water, studies, and research should also be prioritized. These efforts will help provide appropriate information and basis for our country’s water management. Laws and other policies must also be reviewed and used. This should involve many social sectors and institutions, private and government. These organizations must work together to prevent further pollutions, crisis, and most importantly, corporate monopoly on our water sources in the Philippines.