THE nongovernment Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) has sounded the alarm over the urgency of putting water sustainability back among the country’s concerns amid the ongoing pandemic.
PBSP Executive Director Elvin Uy said in a recent online event that issues surrounding water security and access were sent to the back burner in the past year as focus shifted to the economic and health crises arising from Covid-19.
Uy stressed that water is a top priority given different threats from climate change, pollution, rapid urbanization and improper management, among others.
PBSP Manager Kathleen Almonte, meanwhile, noted that the water source, if not managed properly, may face shortages, potentially becoming a costly product like oil.
Almonte said the Philippines still has major water issues, citing the Metro Manila water shortage in 2019 as La Mesa dried up, and the damage caused by El Niño on agricultural crops.
She also flagged the current solid waste disposal situation, which has been worsened by the pandemic, when face masks, personal protection equipment and other healthcare disposables are being dumped into rivers and other water systems.
With these concerns, Almonte said the government should team up with the private sector in solving the problem.
“Private sector involvement continues to play a critical role in achieving water security,” she said. “Businesses are a very powerful force in ensuring water access, sanitation and hygiene services for their own workers and the communities they operate in.”
Meanwhile, Almonte urged the companies to have better water management, including fixing leakage and improving the efficiency of toilets and faucets. By doing so, the company can cut cost and practice environment-friendly ways.
“For many companies, water efficiency is a long-term requirement for staying in business, a big commercial opportunity, or both. To continue operating, companies in most sectors must learn how to do more with less,” she added.
Support for education
Earlier, PBSP joined Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) and other organizations in seeking a bigger budget for the education sector and other reforms to address the looming learning crisis. The government earmarked P751.7 billion or 16.7 percent of the 2021 national budget for the education sector.
PBEd Chairman Ramon Del Rosario Jr. said earlier the learning loss in the country demands an immediate solution as this can affect both the future of the workforce and the overall economy, explaining that infusing more resources to education can go a long way.
He noted many the schools in the country have no internet access despite the increased need for it in the pandemic. In addition, millions of students have decided to drop out of school amid the pandemic, he said.