MANILA, Philippines - Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje has urged local government units to support the establishment of water quality management areas (WQMA) to properly address their varying water quality situations.
“Designating water quality management areas is an important tool in enforcing the Clean Water Act. It also allows focused interventions to address water quality issues to be developed and implemented in a particular locality,” Paje said during a forum held last March 24.
The WQMA governing board is composed of mayors and governors of member LGUs, representatives of relevant national government agencies, duly registered non-government organization, water utility sector and business sector. It is chaired by a DENR representative.
The DENR together with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), shall designate certain areas as water quality management areas using appropriate physiographic units such as watershed, river basins or water resources regions.
The DENR has designated four WQMAs: the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River, Sarangani Bay and Silway River, Tigum-Aganan River System and Iloilo-Batiano River System.