Government adopts holistic approach to water development, management

Last week’s water supply interruption in several areas of Metro Manila in order to give way to the rehabilitation of main pipes is reflective of the urgency to manage water supply properly. It should also serve as re-awakening among the populace that water is one precious resource Mother Earth has given us so it must be treasured, conserved and managed efficiently.

The government has adopted a holistic approach to water development and management. Various initiatives were done to this end. One of them is the creation of the Presidential Task Force on Water Resources and Development and Management (PTFWRDM). It is an inter-agency body composed of the member agencies to ensure efficient management and development of the country’s water resources. It supports the national policy of securing sustainable, adequate, safe and affordable water supply to meet the country’s needs. It is an apex body that overseas and coordinates government policies and programs aimed at responding to the needs of water sector. A guiding principle of the task force is "wise management of water resources has to be central part of environmental, economic and social programs." This guiding principle serves as the inspiration toward the vision "Clean and Safe Water for All."

In 1997, the task force, in response to the challenge of the water sector to balance water availability, studied the situation of water supply, demands distribution and institutional frameworks. It also conducted a policy study on the regulatory framework to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the current regulatory system. The results of these studies became the basis for the draft bills (Senate Bill 2161 and House Bill 9896) proposing the creation of a "Water Resources Authority of the Philippines."

Ensuring the availability of safe, potable, and affordable water has also been the subject of legislative agenda. Some of them are the Water Sewerage and Regulation Act, Water Resources Act, Community-Based Potable Water Supply Act, and Philippine Clean Water Act.

Watersheds have a great effect on the availability of water supply, particularly to downstream users. Traditionally, DENR has been the primary government agency that has jurisdiction and administrative control over the country’s watersheds. Through the years, however, other government agencies have been authorized to exercise and administrative control over the country’s watersheds which support major power plants and irrigation systems.