ASSERTING that “Right to Water and Sanitation” has been recognized by the United Nations, Sen. Grace Poe found it unfortunate that in the Philippines, “the right has yet to be fully enjoyed by our people.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, the senator warned that the country is facing a looming water crisis, prodding the government to “be more proactive in addressing the problem by adopting a radical approach in tackling existing problems or shortcomings” in the water-supply system.
Citing the urgent need to find sustainable way to use this precious resource, Poe pointed out that “we are an agricultural country and that says a lot regarding the importance of water supply,” adding that “we have provinces that have year-round sufficient water supply, enabling their farmers to plant and harvest year-round, as well.” She lamented that some provinces lack such water supply, making huge tracts of agricultural lands idle during lean months.
According to her, water supply and distribution are on top of the short list of natural monopolies, and it could be readily seen as the gauge of good governance or management.
“This is literally the lifeblood of an agricultural country like the Philippines,” she added. “Enough attention and funding must be devoted to this, because this is what sustains our farms, and the livelihood of our farmers. This will ensure our food supply is adequate not just in some places, but in the entire country,” Poe said in Filipino.
The senator suggested the need to “look into better technologies and infrastructure to harness all our natural water supplies.”
“What for are we an archipelago surrounded by bodies of water? We also need to capitalize on the fact that lots of typhoons that bring heavy rains frequently visit the country,” the senator said, suggesting that, “We can hit two birds with one stone—prevent flooding and somehow redirect rainwater to arable agricultural lands or to treatment facilities, turning said water into home-friendly public utility for all our households. There should really be a meaningful discourse, planning and funding towards these types of projects to improve our water systems.”
At the same time, Poe pointed to the many overlaps in the regulatory framework for water, with economic regulations provided under a number of different arrangements, thereby resulting in an unstable and fragmented regulatory framework.
She lamented that “this fragmentation has had significant implications” in the effective and adequate delivery of water and sanitation services in the country. “Because there is no lead agency in the water resource sector, the different coordination systems, functions and jurisdictions of the various agencies have made it impossibly hard for water and sanitation to be collectively managed,” she added. “Thus, the establishment of a unified agency that would focus on water, sewerage and sanitation is certainly very important.”
She then justified her filing a bill to “create the Water Regulatory Commission and rationalize the economic, as well as administrative regulation of water utilities through an independent, quasi-judicial body.” Among its functions are to set the policy for water supply, sewerage and septage management; issue licenses; set, review and approve rates; and other vital functions.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes