MANILA, Philippines – May go-signal na ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang paglikha ng Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) para pangasiwaan ang water resources ng bansa.
Ito rin ang tutugon sa kasalukuyang environmental challenges sa pamamagitan ng pagsisikap ng kinauukulang ahensiya ng pamahalaan at sa tulong ng lahat ng sektor ng lipunan.
Sa isinagawang multi-sectoral meeting sa Malakanyang, tinalakay ni Pangulong Marcos ang kahalagahan ng pagpaplano na may kaugnayan sa water management, binigyang diin ang pangangailangan para sa plano na magsisibi bilang roadmap para sa waste management agencies.
“Kaya nga kailangan sumunod sa plano. That’s why we have to strengthen the mandate of the Water Management Office. We have to bring them together so that they are all following the overall plan,” ang wika ni Pangulong Marcos.
Sinabi nito na ang pagsunod sa plano ay dapat na complusary.
“So that whatever the relationship we come to with MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the Water Board, DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and this new Water Management Office, it has to be cohesive in the sense that kailangan ‘yung recommendation ng management office sinusundan,” ayon kay Pangulong Marcos.
Ipinanukala ni Pangulong Marcos na ang unang aksyon ng WRMO ay dapat na bawasan ang pag-asa sa mga balon o poso, at ang pagsaaayos ng water supply ng bansa.
“That’s as far as I could tell. We have sufficient… there’s enough water in the Philippines hindi lang natin ginagamit, tinatapon natin,” ayon sa Pangulo.
Isang executive order (EO) ang lilikhain upang makaya ng National Water Resources Board (NWRB), MWSS at LWUA at iba pang water-related agencies ng DENR na magkaroon ng collaborative mechanism sa ilalim ng WRMO para ipatupad ang water management programs.
Ang WRMO ay isasailalim sa DENR at magiging transitory body habang nakabinbin ang paglikha ng Water Resources Department.
“The WRMO’s main functions include formulating and ensuring the implementation of the Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP), which will integrate various plans of different agencies,” ayon sa Malakanyang.
“The IWMP, which will serve as the main guiding document for the WRMO, will respond to the current environmental challenges and manage water resources through a concerted government effort engaging various sectors,” ayon pa rin sa Malakanyang.
Inatasan naman ang WRMO na mapagwagian kasama ang Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO), ang pagpapasa ng batas na lilikha ng apex body; makipag-collaborate sa lahat ng relevant agencies, kabilang na ang local government units (LGUs), private sector, civil society, at komunidad at makapag-perform ng iba pang functions sa ilalim ng DENR.
Ang tubig ay mahalaga para sa food security bilang irrigation accounts para sa 35.6% na kontribusyon sa Gross Value Added ng agricultural sector.
Ang tubig ay mahalaga sa pagsuporta sa mga lungsod at urban growth.
“The Philippines ranks among the world’s rapidly urbanizing countries, with over 47 percent of its population living in cities in 2021, requiring large water projects, including bulk water supply and sanitation infrastructure,” ayon kay PCO Secretary, Atty. Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil.
“It also has a significant part in the country’s energy mix, as hydropower represents 7 percent of the total energy production in the country, and its contribution can be increased by as much as 15 percent by 2030,” aniya pa rin. Kris Jose
