The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Ayala Foundation, and Oxford University, proudly presents Fair Water?—an immersive, three-month exhibition opening on May 28, 2025, at the Ayala Museum. Originally showcased at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, this mobile exhibit takes a close look at the urgent issue of water security and the widening inequalities in access to clean and safe water across the Philippines and Asia.
The key feature of the Manila leg is a 12-week series of free Saturday talks, organized by the Ramon Magsaysay Transformative Leadership Institute (RMTLI), featuring Ramon Magsaysay Awardees, experts, and advocates. Each week explores the many dimensions of water—from its role in sustaining life to its significance in culture, community, and climate resilience.
The series begins on May 31 with the theme “Saving Water for the Future,” with Kotchakorn Voraakhom—one of Thailand’s most respected urban landscape architects—as the main speaker. A Trustee of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, IFLA World Climate Chair, and founder of Land Process and Porous City Network, Voraakhom’s groundbreaking work bridges climate resilience, sustainable urban design, and social equity, resulting in transformative, nature-based solutions for managing water in some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable cities.
Running parallel to the talks is the AQUArtist Children’s Drawing Competition, which invites young artists to share their ideas and hopes for a more sustainable water future. Open from May 31 to August 16, 2025, the contest encourages children to use creativity to raise awareness of the importance of water in everyday life.
Fair Water? provides a platform for intergenerational learning and action. It is a call to action: that water is not just a resource, but a right—and that ensuring fair and sustainable access to it is a shared responsibility.
For the full schedule of talks and activities, and how to participate in AQUArtist, visit Fair Water Manila’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/fairwatermnl) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fairwatermnl/).