“WATER is life.” Mayor Raisa Treñas’ words echo a truth so fundamental that it should never be forgotten. Yet, in Iloilo City, thousands of families are being forced to live as though water were a luxury rather than a right. For a modern, thriving urban center, this is an unacceptable reality.
Access to safe, sufficient, and affordable water is not a privilege to be enjoyed by a fortunate few — it is a basic human right recognized worldwide. When this right is denied, it is not only public convenience that suffers but also public health, human dignity, and social equity. For Iloilo households struggling daily with erratic service, water scarcity translates into missed school days, lost productivity, preventable illnesses, and a heavier financial burden on already stretched family incomes.
The numbers are disconcerting. Despite Metro Pacific Iloilo Water’s claim of expanded capacity, its own report shows only 46.76 million liters per day available, with coverage at just 31 percent of city households. That leaves the majority of Iloilo City’s estimated 150,000 homes without reliable service — a staggering shortfall that forces residents to line up for refilled water or rely on expensive tankers. The irony is painful: “no water” is the most expensive water of all.
This is not simply a matter of efficiency or business performance. It is a matter of rights and responsibilities. The right of every Ilonggo household to clean and sufficient water, and the responsibility of both government and utility providers to secure it. If Iloilo City aspires to be a model of progress in the Visayas, it must first meet this most basic measure of livability. No amount of infrastructure or investment can compensate for taps that run dry.
Equally important is the need to recognize water security as a cornerstone of sustainable development. Without it, efforts to expand housing, attract investors, or promote public health will remain undermined. A city that cannot provide for the most basic needs of its citizens cannot hope to achieve inclusive growth. Iloilo’s rising reputation as a livable, investment-friendly hub will mean little if the fundamental promise of reliable water remains unfulfilled.
The path forward: enforce accountability, set measurable timelines, and explore long-term solutions that secure Iloilo’s water future. Reducing non-revenue water losses, expanding capacity, and investing in sustainable sources are no longer optional; they are obligations. The city cannot afford to settle for vague assurances while its people bear the brunt of failure.
The test of a city’s progress is not only in its skylines and business districts but in the dignity of daily life its citizens enjoy. Iloilo’s people deserve more than water by the bucket. They deserve water by the right.
Until every Ilonggo household has clean, running water, Iloilo’s progress is just half a promise.
