By Prince Golez
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the establishment of a Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) on Wednesday to manage the country’s water resources and respond to current environmental concerns through a collaborative government effort involving all sectors of society.
During the multi-sectoral meeting in Malacañang, Marcos Jr. stressed the necessity of planning in water management, emphasizing the need for a plan that will serve as a roadmap for waste management agencies.
“Kaya nga kailangan sumunod sa plano. That’s why we have to strengthen the mandate of the Water Management Office. We have to bring them together so that they are all following the overall plan,” the President said as he pointed out that adhering to the plan has to be compulsory.
“So that whatever the relationship we come to with MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the Water Board, DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and this new Water Management Office, it has to be cohesive in the sense that kailangan ‘yung recommendation ng management office sinusundan,” he added.
Marcos Jr. also directed the WRMO to reduce the country’s reliance on groundwater and deep wells, as well as managing surface water supply.
“That’s as far as I could tell. We have sufficient… there’s enough water in the Philippines hindi lang natin ginagamit, tinatapon natin,” according to him.
An executive order (EO) will be crafted to allow the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), MWSS, LWUA, and other DENR water-related organizations to collaborate on water management initiatives through the WRMO.
The WRMO will be under the DENR and will be a transitory body pending the creation of a Water Resources Department.
Its functions include formulating and ensuring the implementation of the Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP), which will integrate various plans of different agencies.
The IWMP will serve as the main guiding document for the WRMO and respond to the current environmental challenges and manage water resources through a concerted government effort engaging various sectors.
The WRMO is also tasked to champion, alongside the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, the passage of a law creating an apex body; collaborate closely with all relevant agencies, including local government units (LGUs), private sector, civil society, and the communities; and perform other functions under the DENR.
Water is critical for food security since irrigation contributes 35.6 percent of the agriculture sector’s Gross Value Added.
Water is also critical to supporting cities and urban growth. The Philippines is one of the world’s fastest urbanizing countries, with over 47 percent of its people expected to live in cities by 2021, requiring large water projects such as bulk water supply and sanitation facilities.
It also plays an important role in the country’s energy mix, accounting for 7 percent of total energy output in the country and with the potential to expand to 15 percent by 2030.
