A lawmaker on Monday urged water consumers to be more practical in using water amid the looming water crisis reminding that everyone should be prepared for the El Niño.
“Ang isyu po ng water crisis at El Niño ay isyu po nating lahat. Meron po tayong bahagi sa solusyon, at di ito nakapatong sa balikat ng iisang sektor, institusyon, ahensya o kompanya — kailangan may paghahanda ang lahat (The issue of water crisis and El Niño are issues for us all. We are part of the solution and should not just a burden on the shoulders of a single sector, institution, agency, or company — everyone should be prepared),” Senator Nancy Binay said in a statement.
Binay emphasized that Filipinos should stop being caught off guard everytime El Niño hits the country.
“Ang apela po natin sa mga kapwa consumer na simulan na po natin ang pagtitipid ng tubig at i-encourage din natin ang ating mga kasama sa bahay na maging praktikal sa paggamit ng tubig (Our appeal for our fellow consumers is to start conserving water and encourage our housemates to be practical in using water),” she said.
The lawmaker also urged the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to brief the Senate about its preparations and also discuss the implementation of existing water laws.
“It would be much appreciated if the NWRB can share its holistic and comprehensive water resource plan, their water allocation and reuse policy down to the LGUs so that it can be implemented in the community level,” Binay said..
“Gusto rin natin malaman na mula nang maisabatas ang Republic Act (RA) 6716 noong 1989, ilang rainwater collection system na ba sa mahigit 42,000 barangay sa buong bansa ang nagawa o ginagawa ng gobyerno – Sino ang in-charge sa maintenance? Ilan dito ang sira na, ang kailangan i-rehabilitate o ilan na lang ang gumagana (We also want to know since the RA 6716 was passed into law in 1989, how many rainwater collection systems were established in 42,000 barangays thoughout the country – who is in-charge in the maintenance? How many are still functioning and how many are needed to be rehabilitated)?,” she added.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva lauded President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for signing an Executive Order (EO) to create a Water Management Resource Office (WMRO) that will address a possible water shortage.
“Sa pamamagitan po ng EO na ito, mas mabibigyan ng pansin ang mga problema pagdating sa suplay ng tubig sa bansa (Through this EO, problems of the country when it comes to water supply will be given more attention),” Villanueva said in a separate statement.
Like several other senators, Villanueva also filed a measure seeking to create a Department of Water Resources and Water Regulatory Commission through his Senate Bill No. 2013.
He also noted that the National Water Act mandates the creation of an integrated water management framework that will lay down concrete plans in dealing with a water crisis.
With this, Villanueva recently filed Senate Resolution No. 561 seeking for an inquiry to discuss measures, plans, and programs of concerned government agencies to avoid possible water shortage in Metro Manila and other affected areas in the country. (PNA)