The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged all of the country’s governors, mayors and barangay captains to prioritize the people’s access to potable water especially in waterless communities and isolated areas still largely dependent on well and spring water sources.

DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año stressed the inclusion of the water supply and sanitation (WSS) projects in the devolution transition plans (DTP) in the localities is in preparation for the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on Mandanas-Garcia beginning fiscal year 2022.

The High Court ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia Petition concerning the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) follows a long and persistent effort of local government units (LGUs) and stakeholders in demanding greater autonomy and resources from the national government.

“Napakahalaga ng tubig sa ating pang-araw araw na buhay. Ngayong madadagdagan na ang kaban ng bayan ng mga LGUs sa simula ng pagpapatupad ng Mandanas ruling sa 2022, nawa’y isulong ninyo ang pagkakaroon ng ligtas at malinis na pagkukuhanan ng tubig para sa inyong mga nasasakupan (Water is very important in our daily lives. Now the LGU’s coffers will increase with the start of the implementation of the Mandanas ruling in 2022. I pray that you (LGU) push to have safe and clean water supply in your respective jurisdictions),’’ Año said.

Año emphasized that the Mandanas implementation calls for a higher level of service from the LGUs in providing for the basic needs of communities, which includes access to potable and clean water supply.

“The Mandanas ruling challenges LGUs to step up their game in terms of the delivery of essential public services now that they have more resources at their disposal to take care of the needs of their constituents. Among such essentials is the provision of greater access to clean drinking water,” he added.

He pointed out that the LGUs are mandated to lay down their programs, projects and activities in the DTPs as part of the preparations for the roll out of the Mandanas implementation beginning 2022.

Under Executive Order (EO) No. 138 signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, all LGUs are tasked to formulate and prepare their DTPs to guide the transition in their full assumption of the devolved roles and responsibilities from the national government, including their increased share in all national taxes and revenues in line with the implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling.

The DILG secretary said that for the past several years, the DILG has been relentless in the pursuit of granting financial and capacity development for level I, II and III water supply, particularly to the poor and waterless communities.

So far, a total of 7,921 sub-projects have been completed since 2012 under DILG’s Provision of Potable Water Supply- Sagana at Ligtas naTubig sa Lahat (SALINTUBIG) Program managed by the Office of the Project Development Services-Water Supply and Sanitation Project Management Office (OPDS-WSS PMO).

10 pilot LGUs in World Bank program

DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Marlo L. Iringan said that 10 LGUs nationwide have been chosen as pilot areas under the World Bank’s (WB) Utility of the Future (UoF) Program.

Among the 10 chosen pilot LGUs presently covered by the UoF program are Jones, Isabela; Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya; Anao, Tarlac; Pura, Tarlac; Inabanga, Bohol; Bantayan, Cebu; Dolores, Eastern Samar; Leyte, Leyte; Bontoc, Southern Leyte; and Rosario, Agusan del Sur. Eleven other municipalities are being eyed for inclusion in the program.

Under the UoF program, the DILG provides oversight, coordination, technical assistance and capacity development; while the WB provides technical assistance, assessment, performance benchmarking and improvement planning.

In the recently conducted virtual launch of the 100-day action plan of pilot LGU-run water utilities under the UoF program, Iringan cited that more than 50 million Filipinos still have to resort to fetching water from springs and wells kilometers from their homes, and four million still practice open defecation, making them more vulnerable to preventable diseases.

“Ensuring the sustainability of these water supply systems is what this DILG-World Bank initiative intends to address. We want our communities to be able to use water that is up-to-standard, reliable, sufficient, affordable, and as much as possible, would not run out. This partnership, and its initiatives, bridges LGUs from bare minimum to excellence in WSS service delivery and management,” Iringan said.

Iringan shared the department’s vision of bringing universal access of water supply and sanitation infrastructure and services for every Filipino by 2030 through the collaborative works of the Philippine water sector including national and local governments, the private sector, the development sector, civil society, among others. (Chito A. Chavez)