Antibiotic Resistance in the Watersheds of the Philippines

Kia Piñero

doi:10.64591/y3jmnc75

Authors

Kia P. Piñero College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology, Zamboanga City, 7000, Philippines Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64591/y3jmnc75

Keywords:

Antibiotic resistance, Watershed pollution, One Health

Abstract

This essay explores the growing issue of antibiotic resistance in the watersheds of the Philippines, where resistant bacteria spread through rivers, lakes, and irrigation systems. Studies in Metro Manila, Laguna, Pampanga, and Agusan reveal how antibiotic residues from hospitals, households, and poultry farms enter aquatic ecosystems, endangering public health and food safety. Despite ongoing “One Health” interventions, gaps in awareness, regulation, and wastewater management persist. Urgent action is needed to prevent waterways from becoming transmission routes for drug-resistant infections.

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