Limited water access besets urban poor communities

Having been working on the ground for more than a decade, the NGO said this water access gap has mostly affected women and children, who are often the ones left to do household chores. (Pexels photo)

MANILA – Clean water is a basic necessity in human life. But even in this contemporary world, some sectors of society, most especially the urban poor, are still beset with limited access to water.

In some poor communities in the Philippines, non-government organization E&V Water & Life said residents are living in unconventional housing arrangements and challenging terrains, making it hard to build a water network.

Having been working on the ground for more than a decade, the NGO said this water access gap has mostly affected women and children, who are often the ones left to do household chores.

“Urban inclusion can never be met if you don’t have a full access to public services, basic services, and among them water is really the most important one,” said Augustin Vatelot, country director of E&V Water & Life Philippines during the 2gether 4water conference in Makati on Tuesday.

Since 2008, the NGO has so far brought 21 areas sustainable access to piped water, including some barangays in Cavite, Cebu, Mandaue and Tanauan.

Lilibeth Panlilio, one of the beneficiaries, said the struggle of having to run back and forth from her residence to the market where the nearest source of water is located is something she doesn’t want to experience again.

“Napakahirap talaga ng walang tubig. Kapag kami ay nag-iigib sa ibang lugar lumalabas pa kami papunta ng palengke, dala ang kariton. Magbabayad pa kami ng tatlong piso kada timba (Life is really difficult when you don’t have water. Back then we had to go out and travel to the market with a cart in tow to get water in containers, which we also have to pay),” she said.

“Noong pumasok sa amin ang Water & Life ay malaking kaginhawaan dahil hindi na namin kailangan magkariton na minsa’y nasusubsob pa kami kakatulak (When Water & Life came, it was a big relief for us because we don’t have to push carts carrying heavy load anymore),” she added.

In a 2019 report, the World Health Organization said around one in 10 people in the Philippines still do not have access to improved water sources.