AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee (Rep. Lee's office)

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said that establishing a national framework for water resource management, as spelled out in the proposed Department of Water Resources (DWR), will boost efforts to attain food security in the country.

Lee stressed that an effective and sustainable DWR will allow the Philippines to cope with the effects of climate change and ensure adequate water supply.

"Ang United Nations (UN) na po ang nagsabi na ang tubig ay susi natin sa food security," he pointed out.

(The United Nations UN has said that water is our key to food security.)

"Isa po ang panukalang batas na ito sa isinusulong natin na long-term solution para tugunan ang nakababahalang epekto ng El Niño. Kailangan ng tubig ng mga pananim at alagang hayop upang maging masigla at lumaki nang maayos kaya po ang kaayusan ng sektor ng agrikultura ay nakasalalay sa sapat na supply ng tubig," the solon said.

(This is one of the bills we are fostering as a long-term solution to address the concerning effects of El Niño. Crops and livestock need water to thrive and grow properly, so the stability of the agricultural sector depends on an adequate supply of water.)

"Bukod dito, syempre kailangan din po natin ng tubig upang makapaglinis at makapagluto ng pagkain," he added.

(Apart from this, of course we also need water to clean and cook food.)

Citing data from the UN, Lee said irrigation uses close to 70 percent of all freshwater appropriated for human use.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), meanwhile, estimates that meeting the growing agricultural demand under climate change will require an additional 40 to 100 percent more water than would have been needed otherwise.

House Bill (HB) No. 9663, which provides for the creation of the DWR, was among President Marcos’ priority measures during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July. The bill was recently approved by the House of Representatives on third and final reading.

"Nagpapasalamat tayo sa mga kasamahan natin sa Kamara para sa agarang pagpasa ng panukalang batas na ito. Winner tayo lahat pag natutukan at naayos ang supply ng tubig sa ating bansa,” said Lee.

(We thank our colleagues in the House for the prompt passage of this bill. We are all winners when the water supply in our country is given focus and fixed.)

"Natutuwa po tayo na (We are happy that) we are one step closer to our goal of having a dedicated department that would promote universal access to safe, adequate, affordable, and sustainable water," he added. --Dexter Barro II