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Province-bound commuters are starting to troop to the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) days before the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) and Undas. LEAN DAVAL JR
Province-bound commuters are starting to troop to the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) days before the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) and Undas. LEAN DAVAL JR

The Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) said it has not recorded any petty crimes during the holiday season.

“Happy ta because no reported petty crimes [We’re glad because there are no reported petty crimes],” Aisa Usop, manager of DCOTT, said in an interview.

According to Usop, the terminal is fully equipped with CCTV cameras for the safety of the passengers. Guards were also stationed at the gates of the terminal, including the employees’ gate which they opened to avoid congestion.

Usop said that they were able to reach their goal of 1500 bus trips per day, which was equivalent to more than 75,000 passengers.

She also said that big bus operators had informed her of an increase in their income as the volume of passengers also increased.

She expressed gratitude to partner agencies, including the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), Task Force Davao (TF Davao), and the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) for their support and cooperation in ensuring the safety, security, and functionality of the terminal.

Usop urges passengers to continue following the protocols and guidelines set in the terminal. She also reminded the passengers to only entrust their cargoes to official porters of DCOTT with numbers written on the back of their shirts. CIO

Households consuming below 100-kWh urged to avail of discounts

House of Representative 'power bloc' is expressing its opposition on a take-over bid of a private company of Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco). Edge Davao

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Tuesday urged eligible beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to register with their respective power distribution utilities (DUs) to avail of discounts on their monthly electricity bill.

Speaking at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon forum, DOE Electric Power Industry Management Bureau Director Luningning Baltazar said only 191,399 households out of the 4.2 million 4Ps beneficiaries have registered for the lifeline rate discount as of Dec. 15.

Households that are part of the marginalized sector with monthly electricity consumption below 100 kilowatt hour (kWh) may apply for the program.

According to the 4Ps list of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Baltazar said there are 4.2 million 4Ps beneficiaries that are eligible for the lifeline rate discount.

Those non-4Ps households with electricity consumption of below 100 kWh per month, as long as they are qualified marginalized end-users (QMEs), are also encouraged to enlist for the program.

Since the lifeline rate program will be fully implemented this month, only registered households will have automatic discounts on their electricity bill for January 2024.

“They can still register. So if you are a lifeliner, 4Ps and possibly non-4Ps but consuming less than 100 kWh and your income is below the poverty threshold, we encourage you to register for the lifeline rate program,” Baltazar said.

The discounts under this program depend on the approved threshold set by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) per DU’s franchise area.

For instance, in Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) franchise area, eligible beneficiaries are qualified to get 100 percent lifeline rate discount for households consuming 0 to 20 kWh, 50 percent discount for those consuming 21 to 50 kWh, 35 percent for those consuming 51 to 70 kWh, and 20 percent for those consuming 71 to 100 kWh.

Baltazar said households with less than 20 kWh of electricity consumption would pay around PHP5 to less than PHP10 per month.

She said the non-lifeline rate consumers are the ones that subsidize the QMEs.

She said the subsidy costs less than 10 centavos per monthly bill.

With the low registration for the lifeline rate program, the cost being shouldered by non-QMEs is now less than 6 centavos a month.

Baltazar said the DOE, along with the DUs, will roll out lifeline caravans across the country to enlist qualified beneficiaries for the program.

Republic Act 11552, or an Act Extending and Enhancing the Implementation of the Lifeline Rate, Amending the Purpose Section 73 of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, extends the electricity rate discounts to QME for 50 years, or up to 2051. (PNA)

Escandor, Quiambao to join Dwight Howard, Andray Blatche for Strong Group squad

Strong Group’s Andre Roberson, Dwight Howard, Andray Blatche, and McKenzie Moore. Photo courtesy of Strong Group Athletics.
Strong Group’s Andre Roberson, Dwight Howard, Andray Blatche, and McKenzie Moore. Photo courtesy of Strong Group Athletics.

After his memorable Game 2 heroics in the recent Season 86 UAAP Finals, De La Salle Green Archer and Davao City pride Francis Escandor is reportedly joining an elite squad led by former NBA stars Dwight Howard and Andray Blatche.

Escandor and fellow DLSU champion team member and UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao were among the two young picks in the yet-to-be-finalized Strong Group Athletics team which will be competing at the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship with some of the game’s biggest names later this month.

The team, mentored by Charles Tiu, will be bringing in Howard, former Gilas naturalized player Blatche, Andre Roberson, and McKenzie Moore, to lead its squad in the tournament, which is scheduled from January 19-28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“We pursued Dwight because we believe he can provide a significant defensive presence and contribute offensively. Andray Blatche played a crucial role in connecting us, and I’m grateful for the support from our owners Frank and Jacob Lao,” said the Benilde Blazers head coach.

The 37-year-old Blatche, meanwhile, will be making his comeback under Tiu’s tutelage since his successful stint with Mighty Sports during their championship run in 2020.

“I’m excited to run with Dre Blatche again. We won the last time he played for me, and he’s eager to represent the Philippines once more,” Tiu said.

Another NBA veteran Roberson will again join Tiu’s team, and he is ecstatic about having the former Oklahoma City Thunder defender represent the country.

“Andre Roberson is known to be a workhorse and lock-down defender. I believe he can contribute offensively at this level, and his great team-oriented attitude will make him an excellent fit,” Tiu said of the 32-year-old, University of Colorado product.

Finally, Moore, a mainstay in Tiu’s teams, will be returning to provide familiarity, depth, and experience to the Dubai-bound squad.

Also coming in to help Strong Group is former Bay Area Dragons head coach Brian Goorigan, who will serve as the squad’s team consultant.

“I am truly excited to announce the addition of Brian Goorjian as our esteemed team consultant for the Dubai International Basketball Championship,” said Strong Group owner Frank Lao.

“With his unparalleled coaching acumen and a wealth of experience, Brian brings an invaluable perspective to all of us,” he added.

THINK ON THESE: A matter of kindness

“Kindness has no religion. Religions are like narrow tracks but kindness is like an open sky.” – Amit Ray in Nonviolence: The Transforming Power

***

In these days of information superhighway and crass materialism, a little kindness goes a long, long way. But to some people, they expect kindness to be offered to them on a silver platter – and without any return.

Recently, I went to Davao City and rode in a bus. In Sta. Cruz, the bus stopped to drop some passengers.

But there were more passengers going to Davao so by the time the bus left, it was fully loaded.

Near the place where I was sitting, a woman was wondering if someone would offer her a seat.

Being a gentleman, I stood up and the woman took the place. Without smiling at me or even thanking me for what I did, she immediately went on texting.

The incident reminded me of a story related to me by a friend. The same scenario happened on a bus. When the woman felt that no one was offering her a seat, she started complaining loudly.

“Well, those days of gallantry when men gave their seat to women who are standing in a bus,” she said.

And looking at the man who was sitting beside her, she added, “There are men who know a woman needs a seat and he won’t even bother to give her his seat.”

The woman kept on rambling. Twenty minutes later, the man shouted, “Stop!” Still, this didn’t stop the woman to grumble, “Finally, he is going down. He could not take what I said.”

But before the woman could say another word, the man asked the conductor to give him his crutches.

He was having a hard time going down and all eyes were on him. The woman, who took the place, pretended to sleep until it arrived at its destination.

In an office of a non-government organization, this passage was posted in an area where everyone could see and read: “If someone were to pay you P100 for every kind word you ever spoke and collect P50 for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor?”

“Kindness is more than deeds,” C. Neil Strait once reminded. “It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person.”

In Wonder, R.J. Palacio wrote: “What I want you, my students, to take away from your middle-school experience,” he continued, “is the sure knowledge that, in the future you make for yourselves, anything is possible.

“If every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary – the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God,” Palacio added.

But there are some instances where a person who has rendered kindness gets in trouble because of the kindness he extended to the other person. If that sounds equivocal to you, let me share the story of an Indonesian journalist who attended an international conference in Cairns, Australia.

It was a long trip from Jakarta to Sydney. Now, she was ready to take her final flight from Sydney to Cairns.

She was already sitting for a few minutes inside the plane when the lone seat next to her was taken by a little Australian boy. “Are you alone?” she inquired. The boy answered negatively. “My father is sitting out there,” he pointed out.

The flight was fully booked and there was no way the father and son could be together. Since it was still a three-hour flight, she stood up and told the father he could take her seat so the two could be together.

They were already flying when she remembered that she placed her notebook computer at the back of the seat where she previously occupied. She stood up and asked the father of the little boy if he saw the computer.

“Yes, I did,” the man replied. “I gave it to the stewardess. I thought it belonged to a previous passenger before this flight.” The journalist answered, “But you know that I occupied this seat before. Why didn’t you bother to ask me first?”

The journalist went to the stewardess and asked for her computer. She was told that it was left in Sydney because they thought it was left by a previous passenger, as what the man told them.

All throughout the flight, the Indonesian journalist was fuming mad. “And this is what I get for extending kindness to them?” she told herself. It was not until two days later that she took hold of her computer again.

“Constant kindness can accomplish much,” said Albert Schweitzer. “As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.”

“I hope you choose kindness,” urged Kirsten Robinson in Evergreen. “Even when others are being cruel. When someone asks you to give them your heart all warm and full of trust, they give you something makeshift and full of barbed wire in return: be kind. Some people need to feel your heart wrap around them more than you know.”

Kuwentong Peyups: Honoring Rizal’s literature and social activism through movies, plays and TV series

Remembering the works on social activism of our heroes like Jose Rizal is made easy through the use of different platforms like movies, plays and TV series.

Music, literature and social activism are intimately linked with each other due to their complementary nature.

People write, raise their voices to highlight injustice, and sing songs to memorialize their struggle.

Rizal’s two novels , “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo,” inspired many of those who fought for freedom, including Katipunan founder Andres Bonifacio. In turn, many playwrights and composers have honored Rizal through their works.

Rizal dedicated his novel El Filibusterismo to the memory of GOMBURZA which stands for the surnames of the three priests who were implicated in the 1872 Cavite mutiny and later executed via the gruesome garrote on February 17, 1872 — Fr. Mariano Gomez , Fr. Jose Burgos and Fr. Jacinto Zamora.

“Let these pages serve as a tardy wreath of dried leaves over your unknown tombs, and let it be understood that everyone who without clear proofs attacks your memory stains his hands in your blood!,” Rizal said.

The film GOMBURZA won seven awards during the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) including best actor for Cedrick Juan as Fr. Jose Burgos , best director for Pepe Diokno, 2nd best picture, Gatpuno Antonio Villegas cultural award, best cinematography, best production design and best sound design.

The film focuses on the rise of the secularization movement led by Roman Catholic priest Pedro Pelaez (Piolo Pascual ) in the Spanish Philippines as well as the struggles and execution of GomBurZa. In the opening scene, Peláez argued against parishes being taken from “seculars” (priests who were not members of a religious or friar order) and turned over to Spanish friars who discriminated against native priests and even “Filipinos” (Insular Spaniards who were born in the Philippines rather than Peninsular Spaniards born in Spain). Aside from Juan, Dante Rivero played Fr. Gomez while Enchong Dee acted as Fr. Zamora.

It was considered the first spark of patriotism that forged the “Filipino” identity that eventually united inhabitants of these islands into one nation in the last quarter of the 19th century.

It depicts the martyrdom of GomBurZa from the perspective of a young witness—Jose Rizal who was mentored by his brother Paciano, who in turn was mentored by Padre Jose Burgos, and who, in turn was also mentored by Padre Pedro Pelaez.

The story of GomBurZa was shared to Jose Rizal by his older brother Paciano, who was also one of the students of Padre Burgos.

I earlier watched Piolo Pascual as Crisostomo Ibarra of the award-winning musical play “Ibarra” (original title Kanser) written by Jomar Fleras. It had its run June 2023 at the GSIS theatre that coincided with the country’s 125th Independence Day.

It is based on Rizal’s book “Noli Me Tangere,” published in 1887 and written in Spanish, which is a sweeping and passionate unmasking of the brutality and corruption of Spanish rule in the Philippines (1565–1898) that are seen as a disease of the society, thus the title, Latin for “touch me not.”

The story follows Crisostomo Ibarra, who went back home after his European studies. He rekindled his romance with childhood sweetheart Maria Clara, but triggered an old rift with the town friar, Padre Damaso. As the story progressed, Ibarra realized that the malady of oppression and colonial brutality has been killing not only his town, but his motherland as well.

Fleras explained that “Kanser” was retitled into “Ibarra” so that the younger generation will associate the play more to the iconic character of Crisostomo Ibarra than the meaning of Noli Me Tangere (The Social Cancer).

“Ibarra” bagged nine major awards during the recent 36th ALIW Awards including best lead actor in a musical for Piolo Pascual, best musical, best ensemble performance, best musical director, best composer, best director for Frannie Zamora, best lead actress for Myramae Meneses, best child actor for JD Tena, and best featured actor for Jon Joven Uy.

Directed by Zig Dulay, “Maria Clara at Ibarra” is a TV fantasy series aired over GMA Network that follows Klay Infantes (Barbie Forteza) , a Gen-Z nursing student who gets transported into the setting of Noli and El Fili where she met Maria Clara (Julie Anne San Jose), Crisostomo Ibarra (Dennis Trillo), and other characters. It had a total of 105 episodes that premiered on October 3, 2022 and concluded on February 24, 2023.

It won a Bronze award in the 2023 New York Festivals TV & Film Awards in the Entertainment Program Drama category.

The ideas behind the novels of Rizal evolves through the years but the message remains solid: Filipinos must not be silenced in the midst of ills and injustices in society.

(Peyups is the moniker of University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.)

Maya on the Block: Christmas Eve away from home

Christmas means spending time with loved ones and friends to share the joy and happiness of the holiday season.

Aside from traditional way of celebrating Christmas it is also a bit sad especially if you are alone or like all single moms like me, celebrate it with your son or daughter. Preparing for Christmas can turn into a tiresome routine as we have to plan, prepare, cook, clean, and organize the house to get ready for the celebration.

It’s been two years since me and my son started celebrating Christmas with just the two of us at home as usually it’s with my family.

But we did something different yet exciting this year as we celebrated Christmas eve at the Blue Lotus Hotel.

Like us, there were also families, couples, and friends who opted to seize the chance to pamper themselves on a staycation and experience a different Christmas at Blue Lotus.

One of the best things that we looked forward to was the delicious food that we’d be indulging in as Blue Lotus was offering special packages that included a Christmas eve dinner.

I was surprised that there were already a lot of people when we arrived at the popular Skyview Restaurant on the rooftop for the Christmas dinner buffet.

Blue Lotus treated everyone with a filling and hearty spread for the season.

It was a delightful dining experience filled with delectable dishes, live entertainment, and great company.

After the sumptuous dinner, we did a movie marathon in our room ’til we doze off.

Blue Lotus Hotel’s junior suite room’s interior design is impressive. It is roomy and has a divider or partition off en-suite bathrooms to give you a bit of privacy while watching TV or sleeping, a comfy King-size bed, it has a study table, and a mini table with chairs.

The breakfast buffet at the Skyview is also very homey. Aside from enjoying hearty dishes guests can also get an eagle-eye view of Davao City from Skyview.

These are just among the joys of spending Christmas at the Blue Lotus Hotel.

The seven-level, 133-room hotel is being positioned not just for leisure and business travelers but as a venue for small and medium-sized meetings, seminars, conferences, and special events with its eight function rooms.

The hotel is also ideal for local guests looking for an upgraded staycation or weekend getaway. Not to mention its “Skyview” at the rooftop wherein guests can admire the view of the city, Samal Island, majestic Mt. Apo, and the Davao Gulf.

In case you don’t know, Blue Lotus Hotel, which sits on a 2,000-square-meter prime property along Quimpo Boulevard in Davao City, is owned by the family behind weighing scale manufacturer First Philippine Scales Inc. (FPSI). They decided to venture into the hotel business and opened the hotel on January 5, 2020.

‘Paghinugyaw’ performance did not violate firecracker ordinance: CTTO

City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) officer in charge Jennifer Romero denies during this week's AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel that they used pyrotechnic during
City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) officer in charge Jennifer Romero denies during this week's AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel that they used pyrotechnic during "Paghinugyaw: Sugat sa Bag-ong Tuig" and they made sure to follow the firecracker ordinance of the city. LEAN DAVAL JR

City Tourism Operations Office officer in charge Jennifer Romero on Wednesday defended the use of “sparklers” in a performance during the “Paghinugyaw: Sugat sa Bag-ong Tuig” held along Roxas Avenue in Davao City on December 31, 2023.

Romero said the use of sparklers did not mean to defy the firecracker ordinance of the city.

This developed after some members of the Davao press noticed in the video of “Paghinugyaw” sparklers that resemble fireworks were used during a performance.

The media even asked the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) if the material used during the “Paghinugyaw” is covered by the Firecracker Ordinance of Davao City.

Romero told the media on Wednesday that the “sparklers” was used to come up with an artistic end to the performance.

“It was not the normal pyrotechnique. It’s just more of the artistic interpretation of how to end the performance parang sparkler lang siya sa cake just to come up with an artistic end of the performance. This was relayed and na discuss na ni siya,” Romero said during the AFP PNP Press Corps media briefing at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday.

Romero added that the performance was not an act of defying the ordinance but just to end it artistically.

“This is not more of how or that we will be defying the ordinance of the city but an artistic way to end a performance. I also sought the statement of the event organizer and he said he has been doing that since 2017. We are not defying the ordinance but we are following the ordinance,” she said.

The city government of Davao is implementing Ordinance No. 060-02 Series of 2002 “an ordinance prohibiting the manufacture, sale, distribution, possession or use of firecrackers or pyrotechnique devices and such other similar devices and the exploding of firecrackers or other similar explosives within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City” aiming to ensure public safety, peace, order, and security of the community.

“Paghinugyaw: Sugat sa Bag-ong Tuig” was the culminating event of the city government of Davao’s Pasko Fiesta 2023.

17 passengers injured in road mishap in Lasang

Bunawan Police Station Photo

At least 17 passengers were injured as a passenger van plying the Davao-Monkayo route crashed into an electric utility pole in Licanan, Barangay Lasang, Davao City on Wednesday morning.

Based on the investigation, a Toyota utility vehicle with plate number LCV2510 carrying 20 passengers was traversing the Daang Maharlika national highway when it suddenly swerved and its brakes malfunctioned resulting it to crashed into a pole along the road.

Seventeen passengers sustained minor injuries wherein 14 of them were brought to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) while the three passengers refused to be taken to the hospital saying they were okay.

The driver and the vehicle involved were temporarily withheld at the Bunawan Police Station for proper case disposition.

Meanwhile, a mixer truck mowed down a motorcycle killing the rider. The accident happened in front of the police outpost in Crossing Bayabas, Toril, Davao City.

Based on the report of Toril Police Station, the victim, Mark Anthony C. Calubayan, stopped during the red light at the outer lane of the road heading towards Agton St. while the mixer truck with plate number LAI1727, driven by Delfin Inderes Pelicano Jr. was approaching the outer lane from Lubogan, Toril heading towards MacArthur highway where the victim was situated.

Pelicano bumped and rammed his driven truck to Calubayan which resulted to the death of the victim. Pelicano said he did not notice Calubayan.

The driver and the vehicle are now under the custody of the Toril Police Station.

DCPO reports SACLEO accomplishments

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Colonel Alberto Lupaz congratulates all members of Davao City Security and Safety cluster for successful security coverage during the entire celebration of the Yuletide Season and the monthlong Pasko Fiesta 2023 series of events. LEAN DAVAL JR

The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) reported its accomplishments on its Simultaneous Anti-Criminality and Law Enforcement Operations (SACLEO) for the month of December last year.

DCPO conducted SACLEO over four weekends in December 2023 which resulted in the seizure of 206.9281 grams of shabu and 336.0881 grams of marijuana, which have a street market value of P1,447,441.72.

There are a total of 68 operations conducted that resulted in the apprehension of 79 individuals engaged in criminal activities and apprehended 131 individuals with outstanding warrants.

DCPO also intensified its operations against anti-illegal gambling by conducting 57 operations and arrested 155 violators and confiscated P26,919 worth of betting money.

DCPO has committed to securing Davao City through its campaign against illegal possession of firearms by arresting seven individuals and confiscating seven firearms. In the 28 operations conducted, one firearm was surrendered and five firearms were confiscated.

“These exceptional achievements resonate strongly within the community, standing as a testament to the unwavering dedication of DCPO and the tireless efforts of each PNP personnel. Let’s continue working together, striving for excellence to maintain peace and order, creating a safer and more secure Davao City for everyone,” said city director Police Colonel Alberto Lupaz.

THINK ON THESE: The good and evil of water

The characters Dr. Henry Jekyll and a murderous criminal named Edward Hyde were a creation of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Actually, they are one and the same person. Dr. Jekyll is good while Hyde is evil. It has been adapted into the silver screen several times already.

From time to time, you may have encountered such a person – people who lead a double life. But unknowingly, water can also be Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Life, as we know it, is useless without water. “(Water) is the basis of life,” stressed Dr. Sandra Postel, director of the Massachusetts-based Global Water Policy Project.

Ideally, a person should have at least 50 liters of water each day to meet his basic needs – for drinking, food preparation, cooking and cleaning up, washing and personal hygiene, laundry, and house cleaning.

It is when there is a shortage of water that the Jekyll-and-Hyde paradox comes alive: from giving life, water turns into a “killing machine.” Dr. Klaus Toepfer, during his term as executive director of the Nairobi-based UN Environment Program, said, “Unlike the energy crisis, the water crisis is life threatening.”

Contaminated water causes 90 percent of cases of diarrhea among children. Acute diarrhea is one of the five leading causes of sickness and death among Filipino children—for every 100,000 live births, 914 die of diarrhea, leading to almost 12,000 infant deaths every year from a preventable and easily curable illness.

“I understood when I was just a child that without water, everything dies,” Marq de Villiers once observed.

Other common water-related and water-borne diseases are malaria, dengue fever, cholera, filariasis, typhoid fever, dysentery, hepatitis A, and schistosomiasis.

The notion that water can carry disease first occurred to the ancient Greeks. The physician Hippocrates, the ancient innovator of medical ethics, advised that polluted water be boiled or filtered before being consumed.

Today’s crisis in water and sanitation is – above all – a crisis of the poor,” says the UN Development Program study, Beyond Scarcity’: Power, Poverty and the Water Crisis.

In Tawi-Tawi province, 82 out of every 100 residents lack safe water. (Compare that with three in Bataan province and 39 in Capiz.) It is obscene “if people cannot drink water without courting disease or death”, Postel wrote in The Last Oasis.

“Bad water quality is a major cause of diseases in the Philippines,” read one headline. Studies worldwide have shown that programs to encourage the habit of washing hands with soap can reduce diarrhea by between 30% and 50%.

In the Philippines, surveys showed that nearly all people regularly wash their hands before eating. But only 26% of households regularly wash their hands before handling and preparing food, and less than 50% regularly wash their hands after going to the toilet.

The majority of the health burden from water pollution, poor sanitation and hygiene is due to contact with human waste, a single gram of which can contain 10 million viruses, one million bacteria, and one million parasite cysts, according to the Global Water Foundation.

“Water is fundamental for life and health,” the UN Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights said. “The human rights are indispensable for leading a healthy life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite to the realization of all other human rights.”

Perhaps, one of the most important recent milestones has been the recognition in July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly of the human right to water and sanitation. The Assembly recognized the right of every human being to have access to enough water for personal and domestic uses, meaning between 50 and 100 liters of water per person per day. The water must be safe, acceptable, and affordable.

“You cannot wash filthy water,” the Arab proverb says. A World Bank report said that studies of groundwater quality in some parts of the country found 58% of the sampled groundwater were tested positive for coliform bacteria. Surveys done by some local government units have indicated that one half or more of their public water systems do not meet drinking water-quality standards.

“Water, water everywhere,” wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, “but not a drop to drink.”

Residents of Davao City, the country’s largest urban center in terms of land area, may soon wake up one of these days without water flowing from their faucets.

It may be unthinkable but a study done in 1991 by the Japan International Cooperation Agency identified Davao City as among the nine major cities in the country as “water-critical areas.” The other eight are Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Baguio, Angeles, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga.

Postel believes water problems will trail climate change as a threat to the human future. “Although the two are related, water has no substitutes,” she explained. “We can transition away from coal and oil to solar, wind and other renewable energy sources. But there is no transitioning away from water to something else.”

Dr. Mark Rosegrant, lead author of the global water report and senior research fellow at the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institution (IFPRI), shared the same view. “Water is not like oil: there is no substitute,” he said. “If we continue to take it for granted, much of the earth is going to run short of water or food – or both.”

In either case, “the poor will suffer most,” he added.