The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) received reports that thousands of households in the country experience water service disconnection due to people’s inability to pay their bills on time in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The CHR underscores the obligation of the government to guarantee people’s access to water and sanitation, particularly those who are in the most vulnerable situations.
While we are always reminded that one of the most effective way to prevent the spread of the disease is to regularly wash our hands using soap and water, not every Filipino has the privilege of accessing adequate water and proper sanitation. Water, a universally-recognised human right, is essential for most aspects of everyday life and crucial for public health. If water services were disrupted, it could mean spikes in coronavirus outbreaks, particularly in high-density communities where social distancing is not possible.
Curtailing people’s access to water is a human rights violation. Not only we are denying them the protection against the disease, but we are also exposing them to more serious health complications.
Considering the compounded financial hardships faced by majority of Filipinos, we urge the government to strictly implement policies that ensure people’s continuous access to clean water while we are still in the middle of a national health crisis. Previous issuances regarding deferred payment of bills and suspension of water supply should still be put in place, especially that the current Covid-19 situation in the country has not improved yet after a year of being into community quarantine. Similarly, the government must also financially support water utilities to guarantee the sustainability of services, while prioritising the welfare of people over profit.
The unequal access, or the lack thereof, to adequate supply and clean water is one of the most glaring disparities that this global pandemic has exposed. In a state of emergency, the most marginalised and vulnerable populations are inhibited to enjoy the basic right of water and sanitation, while also remaining to be the most at risk of getting infected. The CHR calls on both public and private sectors to fulfil the human rights to water and sanitation at all times and circumstances, and to find equitable solutions in the future when we overcome together this pandemic.
