MANILA, Philippines – Hinihimok ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na banggitin at talakayin sa paparating na State of the Nation Address (SONA) ang pamamaraan upang mabawasan ang epekto ng water shortage at El Niño phenomenon.
“Huwag puro Maharlika Investment Fund. The adverse effects of water shortage and El Niño have far-reaching consequences on various sectors of the economy. Past droughts and water crises have caused a significant toll on the economy, business, agriculture, power generation, public health, and natural resources, among others,” pahayag ni Pimentel.
“The concerns about the impending water shortage and El Niño phenomenon were made earlier. Ano na ang ginawang hakbang ng gobyerno? As I said before, the government should take an anticipatory approach and not merely be passive in addressing these challenges,” dagdag pa ng senador.
Binanggit din ni Pimentel ang pag-aaral ng Columbia University na nagsasabing ang El Nino phenomenon noong 1997 at 1998 ay nag-iwan sa 70% ng bansa sa mapaminsalang kundisyon dahil sa tagtuyot.
Sinabi rin ng mambabatas ang pahayag ni
Union Bank of the Philippines chief economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion na posibleng magdulot ang matinding El Nino event sa national Growth Domestic Product losses na aabot sa $3.3 billion.
“These staggering economic implications highlight the importance of proactive and preventive measures to mitigate the impact of the water crisis and El Niño. It is crucial for the President to use the State of the Nation Address as a platform to present long-term strategies and sustainable solutions that can mitigate the effects of water shortage and El Niño,” ani Pimentel.
Nanawagan naman ito sa publiko na magtipid ng kuryente at tubig sa tagtuyot.
“These problems need immediate attention and concerted efforts from both the government and the public. I implore each of us to conserve water.”
Noong Marso, matatandaang inamin ni Marcos na nakararanas ng krisis sa tubig ang Pilipinas, at sinabi naman ang kanyang “stratagems” para sa water treatment at flood control projects, na kailangan upang matugunan ang problema sa tubig. RNT/JGC
