In a bid to achieve water security for Filipinos, Senator Francis Tolentino is pushing for the continuous development of water sources nationwide.

In a conversation with the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Administrator Vince Revil on Saturday, Dec. 2, Tolentino cited several water sources like waterfalls and dams and the need to amend the Building Code of the Philippines to include designs that recycle used water and rainwater for the reuse of building residents.

He also mentioned the water-impounding law as an existing government policy that requires all barangays to develop water systems in their localities and ensure water supply for residents.

Tolentino encouraged LWUA to use science and technology to develop technologies regarding how to recycle used water and rainwater for reuse.

He also told Administrator Revil about the abundance of water sources, like what he observed in Cebu with its numerous waterfalls, that can be developed. He als raised concerns on how to help indigenous communities get access to clean water.

“Makikita mo may mga sources talaga tayo ng tubig, and yet, sa buong Pilipinas ay may nagsasabi na kulang tayo sa patubig, lalong-lalo na sa mga indigenous communities natin. Papano mata-tap ng water districts ang unutilized water sources? Papano maseserbisyohan ang mga indigenous communities? (You will see that we have water sources and yet, in the whole country there are those saying that we lack water services, especially in our indigenous communities. How can the water districts tap into unutilized water sources? How can they serves the indigenous communities?)” Tolentino asked.

The lawmaker, however, lauded the present program of LWUA, which under the administration of President Marcos aims to establish an additional 200 water districts all over the country. The current total is 532.

Administrator Revil said that some 22 million Filipinos are connected to the water systems of water districts outside Metro Manila, wherein there are 12 million water consumers.

He said the present administration is implementing its water security program, dubbed “Patubig sa Buong Bayan at Mamamayan (PBBM),” which aims to increase water connections to 7.2 million Filipinos in five years.

Tolentino said the country continues to develop water sources amid the challenges of climate change and increasing population.