Manila: Asian Development Bank estimates that about $ 8 billion a year will be needed to meet the Millennium Development Goal target for safe drinking water in the region over the next decade.
Just one scoop of water will give you a fulfilling, enjoyable and cleansing shower, says the Indonesian independent filmmaker who has won the grand prize in the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) “MyView H2O” video competition.
ADB supported this year’s contest to promote awareness of the causes, implications and solutions to Asia’s looming water crisis. The winners have been announced on the eve of World Water Day, an annual global event designed to highlight the critical importance of sustainably managing the earth’s fragile freshwater resources.
In his winning entry, Jakarta based Muhammad “Wawan” Zulqamar cleverly illustrates in just over one minute, and without words, how showering and conserving water can go hand in hand.
“Save Water won not only because it is so well directed and photographed but because it has such a powerful message told simply, concisely and with wit and impact,” said Ann Quon Principal Director of ADB’s Department of External Relations and one of the judging panel.
Also on the judging panel were international award-winning director Momoko Ando from Japan; Joko Anwar from Indonesia, often cited as one of Asia’s best young directors; US documentary maker and lecturer Christopher Beaver, co-founder and curator of the online documentary site docspopuli.com; the “father of Philippine digital filmmaking” Khavn dela Cruz; Du Haibin one of the People’s Republic of China’s most prolific and internationally awarded young documentary makers; Samar Minallah, a multi-award winning documentary maker from Pakistan, and Arjun Thapan, Special Senior Advisor to the President of ADB.
In the Under-21 category, “Time to Refill” by 18-year-old Emmanuel “Joe” Ortigas of the Philippines was the winner. The video shows the dangers of the world running out of water. In the over-21 category, “My Riverside Home” a moving story about one woman’s life from Filipino director Nash Anggahan was the winner.
In Asia and the Pacific, about half a billion people still lack access to potable water and ADB estimates that about $8 billion a year will be needed to meet the Millennium Development Goal target for safe drinking water in the region over the next decade. In addition, no area of the world is more vulnerable to climate change and water shortages, with rising temperatures, sea levels and extreme weather events threatening the food security, livelihoods, health and homes of millions of people. The poor are most at risk because of their high dependence on natural resources and limited livelihood and mobility options.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region. In 2010, it approved a total of $13.8 billion in financing operations through loans, grants, guarantees, equity investments, and technical assistance projects. ADB also mobilized co-financing amounting to $ 3.7 billion.
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