Protect our water resources, ESP urges gov't

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is rich in natural resources. Yet some parts of the country experience food shortages and lack of potable water.

“This problem will not be soled by itself. We need to act together to preserve and protect our environment,” said Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols. “This problem will eventually get worse if we do not stop polluting the environment and destroying our watersheds.”

Scientists all over the world are blaming the global warming phenomenon for the recent food and water crisis.

“We call on government to protect our water resources and make sure every Filipino has potable water to drink,” Claparols said, adding that “the government must also spearhead the drive to plant more trees and protect the remaining forests.”

According to studies, the demand for potable water doubles every 20 years, outpacing population growth by a wide margin. In less than 20 years, it is estimated that demand for drinking water will exceed the world‘s supply by over 50 percent.

“Let us not allow this to happen here in our country,” said Claparols. “We have to protect and conserve our resources. Our forest and watersheds are our water reservoirs and must be protected,” he added.