Access to clean, and adequate water remains an acute seasonal problem in urban, and coastal areas in the Philippines. The National Capital Region (Metro Manila), Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and Central Visayas are the four urban, critical regions in terms of water quality and quantity. The present Philippines Environment Monitor 2003 is the result of a joint exercise involving national agencies, academia, civil society, and researchers, and, its information has been obtained from published and unpublished data, reports of government agencies, universities, non-governmental organizations, individuals, and the Bank and its international partners. It comprises eight sections: 1) an overview of the country ' s water quality and availability status, and water pollution conditions of surface, ground and coastal waters by region; 2) the sources of water pollution, including various types of effluents, their generation, and the effects of wastewater discharges to human health and the environment; 3) the four critical regions that were found to have unsatisfactory rating for water quality and quantity; 4) the effects and economic losses due to polluted waters, health cost, and costs to fishery and tourism sectors; 5) a description of the water policies, institutional arrangements in water resources management, and enforcement of standards and economic instruments; 6) urban sanitation and sewerage program and performance; 7) investment requirements in water pollution control; and, 8) the challenges in implementing an integrated water resources management program.
