The first World Water Day celebration passed without people knowing that there was such a celebration. Why was this so? David Foster Hales, deputy assistant administrator of the Global Center for Environment at the US Agency for International Development, give us the answer:
"Most people tend to think that water is free and grow up thinking there is a lot of it. Both are myths. Water is not free and there is not very much of it. If you look at the globe from outer space it looks like a water planet. However, while 70 percent of the globe is covered with water, only 3 percent of that is fresh water."
We live in an archipelago. All our islands are surrounded by water. But potable water is now scarce. The best proof is that we now have to pay for drinking water, not only in restaurant, but even at home. Only a few years ago, this was unbelievable.
Unquestionably, the greatest use of water is irrigation. World studies show that agriculture accounts for about 70 percent of water use. The study also showed that about half that amount is wasted due to outdated irrigation systems. The fact is that we see water everywhere, but many of the faucets in homes and offices are dry. We have to act now and not wait till the problem reaches a critical stage. We need a Blue Revolution in water management.
The International Conference on Water and Environment at its meeting held in Doblin eight years ago adopted several principles on water management. Among them were:
(1) Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life, development, and the environment.
(2) Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach, involving users, planners, and policymakers at all levels.
(3) Water has an economic value in all its uses and should be recognized as an economic good.
The truth is that even the Green Revolution is dependent on the Blue Revolution. We definitely are not handling our water resources properly. Just look at Laguna Bay and Pasig River. In Metro Manila, we have filled up a lot of vital estuaries and our sewage system is totally inadequate.
We have a lot of high-rise buildings in Metro Manila. We can't help wondering where their water supply will come from. Villages that had adequate water supply are now complaining that they now often lack water.
Who will start the Blue Revolution Movement in the country? It is a question of, first, conserving our water resources; second, combatting pollution. Our poor cannot afford to pay for potable water. Our rivers must again teem with fish and we could very well begin with the Pasig that is right next to Malacañang.
We hope that the day does not come when water becomes the greatest limiting factor to our development.