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By Camille Rose A. Ignacio, Special to The
Manila Times
IS it possible that water’s price would reach
P40 to P50 per liter one day? In Saudi Arabia, which is very rich in
oil but poor in fresh water sources, a liter of water fetches a
higher price compared to a liter of gasoline. In countries like the
Philippines, which is blessed with numerous fresh water sources, the
price of fuel is still higher. At least up to now.
However, water pollution is presently
threatening the country’s fresh water resources.
According to recent studies, like from the
environmental group, Greenpeace, the causes of water pollution
include: pesticides, fertilizers, oil, gasoline and additives,
mining, sediments, chemical and industrial processes, plastics,
personal care products, household cleaning products, pharmaceuticals
and sewage.
The news that two rivers in the Philippines,
Marilao and Meycauyan in Bulacan, are included in the list of 30
dirtiest rivers in the world should be enough to alert Filipinos
that something has to be done about the country’s fresh water
sources. However, it looks like many are still unmindful of such
threats, which can bring so much harm to the future generations.
Ironically, the problem of water pollution is
caused by humans, and it can only be resolved by humans. “Humans
are the problem, but we are also the solution,” said Anabelle
Plantilla, the executive director of Haribon Foundation.
Earth Day 2008 and water scarcity
Haribon Foundation, an organization dedicated to
the conservation of Philippine biodiversity, together with Cultural
Center of the Philippines (CCP) and other organizations will hold
the Earth Day 2008 at CCP Complex on April 22.
To heighten the public’s attention towards
water pollution, the main highlight of the event will be a cleanup
of the coastal area from the US Embassy office to the back of CCP
complex. The other significant part of the event if an art exhibit
in the Mall of Asia which will showcase “How does Metro Manila Get
Its Water?”
The Department of Environment and Natural
Resources will also lead the celebration of World Water Day on
Wednesday, March 26.
Haribon Foundation is also advocating and
pushing its ROAD (Rainforestation Organizations and Advocates) to
2020 program, an environmental conservation movement to restore one
million hectares of Philippine rainforests by that year. It includes
the building of tree nurseries; the implementation of laws related
to reforestation; research on what trees should be planted; lectures
regarding environmental issues; fund raising; and tree planting.
The protection and restoration of the
country’s rainforests cannot be discounted, because it is from the
country’s forests that streams emanate, which converge to rivers
and then to large bodies of water. Such is the wonder of nature,
which can provide fresh water to humans for free. But as sources of
fresh water become scarcer owing to the problems caused by us,
humans, water will one day become more expensive than fuel.
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