I’m amazed at how many of my readers seem to have not gotten over the issue of water shortage. They ask me to comment on the proposal put forth by President Rodrigo Duterte in his recent State of the Nation Address (Sona) to solve this crisis that has been gripping Metro Manila for months now.
A reader from Bulacan, Alfonso Capili, wrote to say that heavy rains
these past days have flooded parts of the province, and yet most of their
faucets remain dry. Another reader from Paco, Manila, Generoso Jose, said that
the rotational water supply service that Maynilad Water Services Inc. has
implemented has been keeping his family awake the whole night. Water service in
that area of Manila is from 11 p.m. to 4
a.m. “We have to buy drums and fill them up during these unholy hours just to
survive a waterless life. This is just another hardship we have to endure,
aside
from many others.”
Water, indeed, is something all of us can’t live without. It is lamentable that such a basic service has been wanting, with no quick solution in sight.
I must admit that I skipped watching the Sona because of some health issues, but I did find time to read the transcript of the President’s speech. Other than his directive to create a Department of Water Resources and a Water Regulatory Commission, Duterte did not discuss at length how the government plans to alleviate the water crisis: “We weathered one damaging effect of climate change this year. The El Niño were [sic] wreaked havoc in the agricultural sector and caused water shortage in the greater Metro Manila area. We need to pass bill [sic] creating the Department of Water Resources and Water Regulatory Commission.”
A brief reprieve is to be expected, but not because a speedy solution has finally been found. The full effect of the rainy season is likely to substantially increase Angat Dam’s water reserves to acceptable levels.
A long-lasting solution definitely could not be had in the near term. Building dams takes years. While these dams are being built, I believe that the government should seriously consider leading a nationwide water conservation campaign. Even before pursuing expensive new options for bolstering water supplies, it is critically important, I believe, that we minimize the volume of water used in our homes, farms and industries. When viewed as a water budget-balancing strategy, water conservation—both in cities and farms—typically costs one-third to one-tenth of the expense needed to develop new water sources. Another interim measure that the government should consider is halting water privatization until such time that dams from which these private water firms could draw water are built. At present, all these private water firms get their supply from only one water source.
The government should also make sure that the dams to be built are economically beneficial, and no communities will be displaced.
The construction of the China-funded Kaliwa Dam is supposed to start this month. Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Reynaldo Velasco says that the Kaliwa Dam in Infanta, Quezon, presents a long-term solution to address the water supply problem.
The engineering design should have been completed by now if the MWSS timetable were to be strictly followed. According to Velasco, Phase 1 of the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam project will take four to five years to complete, but the government is pushing for a two-year completion. A 27-kilometer tunnel will connect the water source from General Nakar-Infanta in Quezon to a water treatment plant in Antipolo-Teresa in Rizal.
The initial phase of the dam project is expected to provide 600 million liters of water per day (MLD). This will be equally shared between the Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad. The second phase, the Laiban-Kanan Dam, is expected to churn out 1,800 MLD.
Construction of the dam has been getting stiff opposition from the Dumagat tribe, which fears that townsfolk living in the area would be displaced. No matter, Velasco says, because the project is signed, sealed and delivered. “It has been committed. This is a done deal.”
But a Dumagat tribe leader is crying foul over the alleged lack of proper consent for dam project. Marcelino Tena, president of Samahan ng mga Katutubong Agta/Dumagat, laments that the MWSS did not seek free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) of the tribe that will be affected by the project.
“They did not follow the right process to secure FPIC, they already assessed the water, marked the construction site and constructed an access road going to the site. They said they recognize the FPIC of indigenous peoples and that they should knock on the door before entering our homes, but it’s not what’s happening; they are forcing, even kicking, us.” According to Tena, the project will displace an estimated 10,000 members of the Dumagat tribe. He added that the water regulator has also not provided them with documents regarding the project, such as the engineering design.
Under the official development assistance (ODA) grant from China signed in November 2018, China pledged to provide P12.2 billion or around 64 percent of the P18.7-billion project cost for the Kaliwa Dam. The shift in funding mechanism—from a public-private partnership (PPP) to an ODA grant from China—worries Vice President Leni Robredo. Under the PPP, the country would not shell out any amount, she says. She finds it absurd that 15 percent of the project cost would be shouldered by the government and we still have to borrow the 85 percent from China: “Why would we borrow, when under the PPP, we’re not going to spend a cent?”
All things considered, it seems that we can’t expect anything fresh and refreshing in the foreseeable future; we just have to moderate our thirst.
For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com