Pinoy Tabo: Saving Water JUAN Tabo at a Time

When in Manila and you’re drowning in water—what with all the rain we’re getting—it’s unbelievable to think we will ever run out of water, isn’t it?

Zophy Reyes, 8 years old, loves taking baths using her heart-shaped pink tabo.

Yet, believe it or not, the world is experiencing a water crisis. According to studies by Asian Development Bank, the world’s freshwater resources are depleting fast and falling victim to pollution. Fresh water, one of the world’s most precious resources, is continuously being threatened by misuse and overuse of an ever-expanding global population whose demand for water is always increasing.

But we can’t cut off our demand because we need water. Is there anything we can we do to save our fresh water?

2-year-old Paopao inspecting a tabo on a jar (with guppies swimming!)

Here’s an interesting solution: Let’s use tabo!

In Filipino culture, the tabo (dipper or water scoop) is a household implement used in washing, bathing and is indispensible for personal hygiene. It is an iconic fixture in Filipino households. But more than being a mere household tool, the tabo helps conserve water as it allows the user to manage the amount of water they use, whether in bathing or bowel movement. The tabo gives users the power and the responsibility in determining their own water consumption.

The Tabo at the Grand Central Station

Filipino anthropologist Professor Michael Tan (UP), in his article “Tabo Culture”, says “The plastic tabo is an almost indispensable fixture in the Filipino home, so much so that even Filipinos living overseas will bring their own tabo, or if they forget one, ask relatives to send one over. The plastic tabo is kept mainly in the toilet, used as a water dipper for various functions.”

Here comes Pinoy Tabo to save the day!

Capitalizing on the tabo’s capacity to conserve water, a group of enterprising Filipinos launched the Pinoy Tabo campaign. It promotes the use of tabo among fellow Filipinos to invoke a sense of national pride and identity in the use of the tabo for water conservation; and among the global community to associate water conservation with Pinoy Tabo use.

A water emergency in New York can only be Saved by a tabo!

It is a little bit funny that the lowly tabo can actually be a powerful tool in the struggle to address a global water crisis. Remember the tabo scandal? A Filipino machinist working in a small Australian town went to use the office toilet with a bottle of water. His superior noticed and realized what the bottle of water was for. There was an exchange of heated words as the Australian refused to let the Filipino do his business his own way, which was to use the tabo. The Filipino lost his job because for his boss, “tabo was taboo.”

3-month old Colin gets a native “kabo” bath in Boracay.

A case of culture clash over hygiene. Some people like toilet paper while Filipinos prefer water, soap, and, of course, tabo.

In another article, Prof. Tan says, “With so many Filipinos living overseas, the use of the “tabo” just might spill across (sorry if that sounded like the messy toilets) borders.”

THE EIFFEL TABO: The French invented the bidet but only the good old Filipino tabo does the job well.

What’s next for Pinoy Tabo?

The group is launching a petition for the Department of Tourism to support the campaign by including the “Tabo” in the list of toilet amenities in its Accreditation Standards for Hotels, Resorts, and Apartment Hotel, and for the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP) to encourage their members to include the tabo in their toilet amenities. Pinoy Tabo is also going to release a calculator app, to approximate amount of water conserved using a tabo.

Big undertakings for the Pinoy Tabo.

NYPD Tabo

In the meantime, Pinoy Tabo is inviting everyone to join the Global Tabo Photocontest. Pose with your tabo and win fantastic prizes! Contest runs only until September 27. The more creative photos, the better. You may design your tabo as you please and be inventive as possible. The only limit is your imagination.

Bonga ang pa-premyo—so I’m joining. For complete contest mechanics, click www.facebook.com/globaltabo.

Join the Global Tabo Photocontest!

PRIZES: Winners of the People’s Choice and Pinoy Tabo Awards will each receive a $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com. The recipient of the Global Tabo Award will receive a $50 gift certificate (or equivalent) from Amazon.com.

Queen Mary’s tabo

When in Manila, do as Filipinos do and use Pinoy Tabo.

Thanks to freelance editor Czar Tigno for providing information on the Pinoy Tabo Campaign. Photos are from the Pinoy Tabo Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/globaltabo.