DBM releases P210M for water supply project

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P210 million to address problems in the supply of potable water in 21 provinces throughout the country as part of efforts to boost spending.

In a statement yesterday, the DBM said the release of the P210 million completes the P1.5 billion allocation for the Potable Water Supply program of the Department of Health for 2011.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the move is also part of the fulfillment of the government’s commitment to meet its Millennium Development Goals.

“The Aquino administration has committed to provide the basic necessities of the citizens, and reduce the number of people without constant access to potable water in half, in line with the government’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and the President’s Social Contract to the Filipino People,” Abad said.

He added the Potable Water Supply is one of the priority programs of the Aquino administration in providing sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation to identified waterless municipalities throughout the country.

The Health department’s potable water program is linked to the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other social protection programs initiated by the government.

Apart from the P210 million fund release, the government has previously released P1.290 billion for the program. The project will be implemented by the different local government units around the country, specifically in 21 provinces, six of which have waterless resettlement sites.

The six provinces are Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas and Albay.

Of the P210 million, resettlement sites will receive P96.5 million while P113.5 million will go the 16 poorest barangays with no access to safe water outside of the waterless communities.

“In case of areas with no identified barangays, the beneficiary sites will be identified through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction database,” the DBM said.

Last Jan. 4, the Health department, Department of Interior and Local Government and the National Anti-Poverty Commission signed the agreement to implement the program.