By Audrey, fcJ, from the Manila community
It is El Niño season now in the Philippines. That and infrastructure problems have caused a shortage of water in many parts of the country. In some provinces, farmers have lost their crops as the earth has cracked and dried. Here in Manila, since a few weeks ago we have been experiencing water rationing and taps go dry in the evenings. We have been very fortunate though because we still have water during the day. On some days, people in certain areas had to stand in line for hours with empty buckets and containers, waiting for fire trucks to bring water as their taps had gone completely dry.
This water crisis has given us all a new appreciation for water. How much we have taken for granted the wonder of water piped directly into our houses! We are also a little more aware of the suffering of people in many places in the world where there is not enough water. It is an invitation for us to use water more responsibly, and to take individual and collective action where we can to ensure its equitable distribution to everyone.
Photo: the Manila community eating supper in the traditional way – on banana leaves and using their hands – as a water-saving measure because of the water shortage.
Read more on the water crisis in the news.
