Flooded Yet Thirsty

The Philippines, a country blessed with an abundance of natural resources, finds itself in the ironic and distressing situation of being both deluged by water and suffering from a severe lack of potable water.

Every year, typhoons and heavy rains bring floods that submerge vast areas of the country, yet millions of Filipinos still lack access to clean drinking water. This paradox reveals the deep-seated challenges the nation faces in terms of climate resilience, water resource management, and infrastructure development.

The recent seminar hosted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) shed light on the critical state of the country’s water resources. Despite having an annual freshwater supply of 146 billion cubic meters, the Philippines withdraws a staggering 91 billion cubic meters, a figure that underscores the over-exploitation and poor management of these vital resources. Compounded by rapid urbanization, population growth, and environmental degradation, this over-extraction threatens the nation’s long-term water security.

The irony of the Philippines’ water woes is stark. During the wet season, typhoons and monsoon rains turn streets into rivers, cause landslides, and displace communities. Yet, when the rains stop, the same areas face droughts and water shortages. This cyclical disaster highlights the inadequacies in the country’s water management infrastructure and legal framework.

At the heart of this issue is the antiquated legal system governing water rights, which dates back to the Spanish and American colonial periods. As Atty. Rebyanne Giselle Diaz of the National Water Resource Board pointed out, the principle of “beneficial use” under current laws perversely incentivizes the overuse of water. Appropriators are pressured to fully utilize their water allocations to avoid losing their rights, a system that disincentivizes conservation and sustainable practices.

The infrastructure challenges are equally daunting. Despite significant investments in disaster risk reduction, the Philippines still lacks the necessary infrastructure to capture and store excess rainwater for use during dry spells. This deficiency is not merely a technical problem but also a policy and governance failure. The underutilization of local disaster risk reduction management funds, as noted by PIDS experts, is a glaring example of how local and national authorities are failing to fully harness available resources.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt across the country. Rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, and more frequent and intense typhoons are exacerbating the vulnerability of the nation’s water resources. The establishment of the UN Loss and Damage Fund offers some hope, but it will require a concerted effort by Philippine policymakers to access these funds effectively and put them to good use.

The solutions to these challenges are not out of reach. Experts emphasized the need for reforms in the legal framework governing water rights, particularly the recognition of water conservation as a legitimate form of beneficial use. There is also a pressing need to mainstream nature-based solutions such as reforestation, mangrove restoration, and the development of sustainable agricultural practices. These strategies not only mitigate the impacts of climate change but also help secure the long-term sustainability of the country’s water resources.

W must act now to address these systemic issues. It is high time for a comprehensive overhaul of water management policies, one that prioritizes sustainability, resilience, and the equitable distribution of resources.

The country cannot afford to be water-rich yet water-starved—a contradiction that only deepens the suffering of its people. The floods may come, but let them not be a symbol of waste and inefficiency. Instead, let them be harnessed to provide life, growth, and security for all Filipinos.