Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte (Rep. Villafuerte's office)

With his native Bicol bearing the effects of the El Nino phenomenon, Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte has highlighted a pet measure of his that would make rainwater retention facilities more prevalent in the country. 

Villafuerte is referring to House Bill (HB) No.5640, which remains pending before the House Committee on Public Works and Highways. 

The measure is the proposed Act requiring new commercial, institutional, and residential infrastructure projects in Metro Manila and major cities in the Philippines to install rainwater retention facilities. 

“With El Niño seemingly getting nastier by the year, the Congress can help Malacañang improve national water security and avoid a possible scenario of water scarcity in the years ahead by writing legislation that would empower our LGUs (local government units) to compel commercial and residential estate developers to put up facilities for retaining rainwater in their respective properties,” Villafuerte said. 

“This is a sensible way for us to address the paradox of water scarcity and flash floods plaguing our country, especially in Metro Manila and cities outside the national capital, which is one awful consequence of climate change,” added the National Unity Party (NUP) president. 

In a recent press briefing, Malacañang’s Task Force El Niño said that over the next three months, as many as 80 provinces were likely to be affected by varying degrees of dry conditions, dry spell or drought. This includes provinces in Bicol. 

Under the proposed “Rainwater Harvesting Facility Act", LGUs are authorized to “make the installation of rainwater retention facilities in all new commercial, institutional, and residential infrastructure projects in Metro Manila and other major cities a requisite for their issuance of construction permits to commercial and residential property developers". 

For ongoing commercial, residential, and institutional projects with approved designs that have no such rainwater retention facilities, HB No.5640 has a provision requiring the developers of these construction projects to build them within three years if and when this becomes law—or face penalties for every year of non-compliance.  

READ THIS: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/6/el-nino-woes-impound-rainwater-says-salceda

“The primary goal of this proposed LGU requirement before property developers can start building their projects is to preserve, restore  or mimic the natural hydrology of the soil,” Villafuerte said. 

“Rainwater is a free, abundant and regular natural resource that the Philippines is fortunate to receive year in and out. It is high time that we make use of it for the general advantage of our people," insisted the veteran solon. 

“These would-be rainwater retention facilities shall capture the rainwater, purify the same, and store it for non-potable uses, thereby effectively reducing the amount of rainwater that submerges Metro Manila roads during the rainy season, as well as partially feeding the demand for water in the cities,” he added. 

Villafuerte said in the bill that  the government should also invest in small water-impounding facilities and pumps to help communities retain rainwater for their water needs. 

Owners or developers of development projects in urban centers that fail to construct a rainwater harvesting facility within their respective projects shall, under the bill’s Section 9, pay a penalty of P500,000 to P2 million for each year of non-compliance.