By Prince Golez
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has enjoined all national government agencies and instrumentalities to strictly implement water conservation measures.
In signing Memorandum Circular No. (MC) 22 on June 7, 2023, Marcos Jr. ordered the Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) to take the lead in the implementation of a nationwide water conservation program in coordination with other relevant government agencies.
The President established the WRMO in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources via Executive Order No. 22 on April 27, 2023 to help address immediate concerns about the impending water crisis.
“With the probability of the El Niño phenomenon occurring within the next few months, there is an urgent need to implement water conservation measures to avert the looming water crisis not just in Metro Manila, but in all other areas of the country experiencing water scarcity,” MC 22 read.
Under the memorandum, all national government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and state universities and colleges are directed to identify and implement specific, quantifiable and attainable water conservation measures that will result in 10 percent water volume reduction of their respective first quarter water consumption.
It also tasked the Local Water Utilities Administration, National Water Resources Board, and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to submit to WRMO a monthly supply-demand projection highlighting if there is a likelihood of a deficit in water supply in the near future.
“Government-run water service providers (WSPs) are hereby directed and private WSPs are hereby encouraged to implement water conservation measures, such as but not limited to non-revenue water management and water pressure management,” the memo also stated.
Section 5 of MC 22 provides that the WRMO should identify strategies towards water conservation, monitor compliance of government agencies and instrumentalities with the aforementioned water conservation measures, and provide quarterly updates to the Office of the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary on the progress.
