Gov't teams up with private sector, PDRF to fight El Niño
Published May 31, 2023 09:58 am
The national government is working together with the private sector and non-government agencies to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of El Niño, particularly in ensuring that there will be adequate water supply in the country.
*(File photo)
* A total of 240 representatives from various national government agencies and key sectors attended a virtual briefing organized by the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), a non-government organization advocating for disaster risk reduction and management. In a statement Wednesday, May 31, the PDRF said they sought to discuss how the private sector can help the government in effectively addressing the effects of El Niño. El Niño is seen to develop by May to July this year and last until the first quarter of 2024, Remedios Cervio, senior weather specialist at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said during the briefing. As such, PDRF President Butch Meily encouraged businesses to prepare by managing their water supply effectively, coordinating with government and business partners, and planning and educating families, employees, and suppliers about El Niño and its impacts. Meily stressed that Metro Manila, for example, has “grown tremendously” over the past years but its sources of water “have not changed a great deal.” “So, any significant variation in the weather or any failure of equipment can lead to widespread interruptions. I hope that someday, our children will finally enjoy an adequate supply of clean running water,” he noted.El Niño Task Force
Relatedly, the national government created the El Niño Task Force recently on the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The task force is being headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and it seeks to address El Niño’s impact to critical lifeline utilities and livelihood. According to DILG Director Edgar Allan Tabell, the new task force will use “protocol-based and long-term scientific processes and a whole-of-nation approach” involving the private sector, non-government and civil society organizations, academe, and other stakeholders. The government also created the Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) “to solve conflicts among government water agencies.” “For Metro Manila, we wanted to jumpstart a water conservation program. The issue with water supply can also be solved by water demand. If we are able to decrease water demand, then it softens the blow of not having enough supply later on,” DENR Undersecretary Dr. Carlos Primo David said. In preparation for El Niño, David shared that the private sector could support the government in fixing pipe leaks that often result in water wastage and bill increases.Contribution by private sector
On the part of the private sector, water service providers Manila Water and Maynilad shared that they have started building additional water treatment facilities and upgrading the capabilities of existing plants to prevent water shortage and the occurrence of poor water quality to its customers. “The Philippines is blessed with a lot of water sources. There’s enough water. But the key [here] is to develop small water resources,” Manila Water Chief Operating Officer Melvin John Tan said, adding that the private sector needs the support from the government to implement infrastructure programs. “What we need to do is to finish all the infra projects. And this is also where we need help from the government and the public to have patience,” Tan said.