Marcos OKs creation of water management body
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday approved the creation of an agency that will manage the country’s water resources and deal with environmental issues associated with water.
The Water Resource Management Office will be under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and will be a transitory body pending the creation of the Department of Water Resources — one of Marcos’ priority legislative agenda.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, the main functions of the WRMO include formulating and ensuring the implementation of the Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP), which will merge various plans of different government agencies.
The new water body is also tasked to champion the passage of a law creating an apex body, and collaborate closely with government agencies, private sector, civil society and communities.
Reducing the country’s reliance on groundwater and deep wells, and managing surface water supply should be the WRMO’s first actions, Marcos said.
“There’s enough water in the Philippines. We don’t just use it, we throw it away,” Marcos was quoted as saying.
Water is critical for socio-economic development, energy, food production, healthy ecosystems and for human survival.
Several bills on the creation of a department focused on managing water resources and improving water quality, sanitation and climate change mitigation have been filed in Congress. The proposed measures remain pending at committee level.
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