New international water lending programme launched

Japan, the US and the Philippines have jointly launched a water lending programme, which will see almost one and a half million people supplied with safe, drinkable water.

The Philippine Water Revolving Fund is the result of financing from the Development Bank of the Philippines and other private banks and is an initiative aimed to help the country meet its target of providing 90 per cent of the country's population with safe water by 2015.

Funding support has also come from USAID and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as part of a mutually-run scheme, the Clean Water for People Initiative.

Those involved with the clean water project in the Philippines hope that this will encourage private sector sponsorship for other areas integral to the country's development.

Following the death of fish in the river supplying the metro Manila area with water, the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources assured those living in the vicinity that the water is safe for consumption.