MANILA, Philippines- Pagtitipid pa rin ng tubig ang susi sa pagtugon sa supply concerns sa pag-iral ng El Niño, ayon kay Department of Environment and Natural Resources chief Toni Yulo-Loyzaga nitong Lunes.
Ang El Niño ay isang weather phenomenon kung saan nagiging mainit ang surface temperature ng karagatan, na nagreresulta sa madalang na pag-ulan.
“Immediately, for all of us, all of the communities, it is conservation. So, you have to check the way you are using your own water. Minsan napakatagal po maligo. Minsan nagwa-washing cars tayo or other uses na hindi naman strategic or critical na gumagamit tayo ng tubig,” pahayag ni Yulo-Loyzaga sa isang ambush interview.
“So, let us all know na ngayon medyo short ang supply because of rainfall but also of course because we understand na kailangan ng mga building of (infrastructure). That one will be the second and ginagawa naman ‘yan ng private sector and ng regulator natin kagaya ng MWSS,” dagdag niya.
“When you look at the water problem, there are basically three things you need to look at. The supply, of which we are hoping the rainfall will actually increase. But that, of course, is to contend with El Niño this year. The demand side, which is what we can manage ngayon kaya conservation ngayon ang message. And, of course. there is the (infrastructure) side.”
Idinagdag ni Yulo-Loyzaga na dapat pag-inamin ang imprastraktura upang maayos na maihatid ang tubig.
“Ang critical dito is how much water will we be using because our infrastructure also is not updated, no? Not upgraded. Kaya po mahalaga ‘yung presence ng private sector because is where the investment comes from, in terms of the building of the infrastructure na pwede pang-deliver ng water to all the zones in all the areas na nasa tubig,” sabi ni Yulo-Loyzaga.
“So, supply is a challenge because of the shifting rainfall patterns, but here we need to … two other remedies. Conservation which is part of [the] demand management, and infrastructure … buying infrastructure in order for us to have very efficient delivery of water,” patuloy niya.
“I understand everywhere in the world water will be a challenge. Climate change is here so our measures to actually conserve could be year-round in the way we use our water … Hindi po kapag may El Niño lang tsaka … ‘yung awareness natin sa shortness of supply.” RNT/SA
