THIRSTING FOR THAT GOLDEN DROP....

I never learned how to appreciate the value of water until I set foot in Pilas Island, Basilan, Southwestern Philippines. It was around noon time when we arrived, lunch was ready, however; the drinking water is still not on the table.The group who were told to fetch water has yet to arrive when we eat our lunch. Pilas Island is composed of cluster island communities who suffer from water scarcity. Island residents use harvested rain water for domestic consumption.While fresh fish and crustaceans are cheap here, drinking water is so precious that you can’t afford to waste even a single drop. In Metropolitan Davao City where we live now, a clash over water is beginning to heat up between the City’s Water District-tasked to ensure steady supply of fresh drinking water and Hedcor-a company who engaged in hydroelectric power.On a wider scene, in the Middle East and some other countries in Africa and South America, water would be a deciding factor for survival and development.Can we afford to lose water in exchange for temporary costly benefits? Water is free, comfort has made it costly. It’s about time that we go to our own backyard and ensure that will be part of the solution in water sustainability by planting trees, taking care of our rivers, streams, lakes, wells and other fresh water sources.Water is Life. Conserving water and preserving our water sources is our legacy to our children!!

These children in the island have to walk the distance in order to get safe drinking water. Can we afford to fail them?

Let's take care of our rivers, streams, lakes and other fresh water sources...they sustain Life!!