Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink - observations of an outsider in The Philippines Region V

In the UK we often see documentaries and charity adverts about the lack of water or clean water in the developing world along with solemn images usually from Africa. The same will be repeated in developed countries the world over. After seeing such images, we forget the messaging till we see it again. If you experience it, lack of water that is as I did in 2023 and 2025 it is not something you will ever forget. Life without any form of water is very unpleasant.

Water is life yet many people in Region V and likely other regions in The Philippines do not have water at all or it turns on/off without warning or compensation. Back in the UK we take water for granted and if it fails or has bacteria or a parasite present it is big news with leaflets distributed and free large bottles of water dropped off at affected households till it is resolved. Water can be drunken straight from the tap – try convincing my wife this who is from Camarines Sur this!

In the West, water is there for hand washing, showering/bathing, flushing the toilet and using an electric washing machine. Water is heated also typically by a gas boiler or electric shower unit in the bathroom. It is taken for granted after paying the ever-increasing water & sewage bill. Water companies in the UK are private firms there for a profit and run a monopoly per area licensed by the state. Recently our water & sewage bill increased by 50% to close to 30,000 PHP per year. Far from perfect yes but the water is their 99%+ of the time and is not harmful.

Likely in Manila the facilities listed above are present in middle-class, upper-middle-class & upper-class condos as well as rarer houses. The water may not be drinkable directly but at least you can wash your dishes, shower, run a washing machine or purify the water to make it potable. This covers up to 15 million who live in the Manila area and what about the other 100 million? Many of them are poor and surviving on 7500 PHP a month for 5-6 days a week work.

For my wife, her family and friends, the total lack of water or poor reliability is just part of life. Who is going to listen to villagers with a low income with no voice?

In March and April this year, life without water hit me and I experienced it on numerous occasions in different areas in Region V. Some examples:

• My wife’s barangay may have water pipes, but it has not supplied water for years
• A modern restaurants CR (toilet) was out of order in Tinambac due to no water supply. This was very close to the Tinambac Municipal Hall!
• A Biggs branch in Goa, Camarines Sur CR water cistern had no water and worse the hand washing taps did not as well
• Gaisano Capital Iriga CR had no water. This is a shopping mall in a city not a small remote area
• A hotel close to the centre of Tinambac had only a tiny trickle for over 24h hours
• A beach resort in Marilima, Catanduanes was relying on rainwater which ceased for 24h
• The Child Development Centre in Marilima had no water. Imagine trying to wash the dishes, change nappies and cook without flowing water

These were not on the same day nor in the same 5 sq. kilometres but within an area of 175km. This spanned two provinces: Catanduanes and Camarines Sur, as well as multiple water companies and municipalities. 2025 is the year not 1925! With the election season just over this should be a top issue along with improving smartphone coverage.

For three of the issues listed above there is zero water full stop which means fetching not too clean water from a river hundreds of metres away, taking water from a spring, using a manual pump well or spending tens of thousands of pesos digging a well, buying an electric pump and running pipes with taps.

Region V has the second lowest minimum wage of 395 PHP a day. Imagine working 20 days per month and earning 7900 PHP. If you want flowing water you need to buy various parts, materials and hire workmen for days at a cost of well over 40,000. Very few people can afford this due to their income levels. This is not right – everyone should get flowing water for a fair price. Not even drinkable water but just water.


Imagine having to run your morning routine with this. Taken in a hotel close to the centre of Tinambac in April.


Then imagine after leaving the hotel, finding running water in a basic petrol station to wash your hands properly.

The government, be it civil servants, governors, congress(wo)men, mayors, board members, councillors and captains need to serve the people not themselves, and not let the homeowners manage this critical issue themselves when they are already struggling in life.

I implore the governors Patrick Azanza (Catanduanes) & Luigi Villafuerte (Camarines Sur) and congressmen: Arnulf Fuentebella (Camarines Sur's 4th), Miguel Villafuerte (Camarines Sur's 5th) & Eulogio Rodriguez (Catanduanes's at-large congressional district) to fix this issue and listen to the people’s problems.