Philippines: poor sanitation costs US$ 1.94 billion yearly, World Bank says

Updated - Friday 18 July 2008

Poor sanitation in the Philippines costs the government 77.8 billion pesos [US$ 1.94 billion = EUR 1.31 billion] a year, according to a World Bank study [1]. The bank said poor sanitation also causes 31 premature deaths a day and reduces income from fishery, tourism and other sectors. “Healthcare costs account for 71 percent of the total losses due to 38 million cases of diarrhea per year,” it added. For every dollar invested in improved sanitation, the World Health Organization had said, a country can reap up to US$ 9 in benefits.

The study was launched in Mandaluyong City under the theme “Sanitation is the solution” to heighten public awareness on the national economic impacts of poor sanitation and call on lawmakers, economists, investors and media to help solve the problem.

The Philippines is one of the five countries included in the Economics of Sanitation Initiative (ESI) led by the East Asia Pacific Office of the World Bank's Water and Sanitation (WSP-EAP) [2].

[1] Rodriguez, U.E, Jamora, N and Hutton G. (2008). Economic impacts of sanitation in the Philippines. Washington, DC, USA, World Bank, Water and Sanitation Program. [policy brief, abbreviated version of technical report]. PDF file

[2] WSP-EAP (2007). Economic impacts of sanitation in Southeast Asia : summary. PDF file

Contact: Guy Hutton, WSP-EAP, Indonesia, wspeap@worldbank.org

Source: Manila Times, 15 Feb 2008