MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Access to clean water gives infants and young children a fighting chance to grow up healthy and free from diseases. Without this, they may suffer from dehydration and waterborne infections, which can stunt their growth, impair cognitive function, and other serious health problems.
In the Philippines, 53% of households lack access to a safely managed water supply and 39% lack safe sanitation, according to UN and UNICEF data. Additionally, 55% of schools lack access to clean water supply and 26% lack safe sanitation.
This is the reality of thousands of Filipino children, particularly in vulnerable areas with unimproved sources of drinking water, like Agusan del Sur in Mindanao. The Agusan Marsh covers 15% of the country’s freshwater resources. Manobo families mostly live in floating houses, and they rely on rainwater or a nearby spring for water they use for drinking and bathing. However, they are also at risk of their primary water source getting contaminated due to flooding and landslides.
Improving lives of the younger generation
Contaminated water and poor sanitation are major contributors to the spread of waterborne diseases affecting children and infants in the Philippines. Waterborne illnesses like diarrhea and typhoid fever pose health risks, and even death if it isn’t treated right away.
As part of its purpose to improve consumers’ lives in small but meaningful ways, Procter & Gamble (P&G) launched the not-for-profit Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program. Since launching CSDW in the Philippines in 2012, it has been working with World Vision Philippines to bring P&G Purifier of Water packets and disaster relief to communities that lack access to a steady and clean supply of potable water.
The P&G Purifier of Water is a groundbreaking invention created by P&G scientists in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This innovative powder is formulated with coagulants and disinfecting properties, designed to effectively eliminate dirt and disease-causing microbes from up to 10 liters of potentially unsafe water in just 30 minutes. This innovation makes it possible for Filipino children and adults in far-flung areas to have clean drinking water, which they can use for their daily routines and to prevent stomach problems.
Young beneficiaries like 11-year-old Krisha from Brgy. Sabang Gibong, Agusan Del Sur said that the CSDW Program helped give them potable drinking water. Previously, Krisha and her family relied on water from a nearby river, which unfortunately led to them contracting amoebiasis. Thanks to the distribution of the P&G packets, they’re now able to treat the water from the river to ensure that it’s clean to drink.
Krisha is just one example of the many children in communities supported by World Vision Philippines and P&G who have witnessed transformative changes through access to clean water. With P&G’s Purifier of Water innovation, they are now able to drink water without the constant worry of disease. This allows them to enjoy playing with their friends and attend school. Similarly, adults in these communities experience relief knowing their children are happier and more active in their everyday lives.
P&G’s CSDW program, in collaboration with World Vision Philippines, is committed to transforming lives through the power of clean water. Its goal to deliver 3.4 million packets to 29,000 families in the most vulnerable areas with limited access to clean drinking water in the country by 2025. Both organizations, P&G Philippines and World Vision Philippines will continue supporting and educating people on how the P&G Purifier of Water technology can improve children’s lives.
