A party-list representative raised concerns over the “disorganized and unwieldy framework” to improve water resources nationwide, prompting him to push for the immediate passage of the Department of Water Resources Management (DWRM) bill.
AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said the 19th Congress should discuss proposals to create the DWRM in its deliberations.
“The disorganized and unwieldy framework governing the country’s water resources is untenable amid increasing food insecurity,” he noted.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. mentioned the measure as one of the priorities of his administration in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July.
Lee authored House Bill No. 2880, which is among the water-related bills that sought to develop and implement a comprehensive water usage and conservation program through the DWRM.
Under the bill, DWRM’s tasks are as follow:
1. “Implement necessary policy and resource reforms with respect to the management of all water resources including irrigation, sewage, and sanitation;
2. Monitor and evaluate compliance with the national goals relating to water, irrigation, sewage, and sanitation;
3. Formulate a national updated road map to address the water, sewage, and sanitation requirements of the State; and
4. Improve conservation of water and increase system efficiencies.”
The proposed DWRM would likewise promote the use of rainwater harvesting facilities throughout the country to augment its water supply needs.
Lee emphasized the urgent need to create the DWRM as the country stands to lose $124 billion until 2050 from water-related disasters such as storms and floods.
A report by global professional services company GHD has ranked the Philippines as the fourth most affected country in the world for water-related disasters, with about 20 typhoons entering the country every year.
His office also cited at least 32 different agencies are tasked with managing the Philippines’ water resources, but the country still placed at the bottom third of 48 countries in the 2018 ranking of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in relation to water governance.
The lawmaker said government must put in place mechanisms to mitigate the projected loss.
He added the farmers should be protected by the government so that it would not put in imperil the country’s food security.