It’s summer! Expect water shortage again. The weather bureau said that there is above 55% chance of an El Niño occurring this July to September and may persist until 2024. That’s bad news. It means there is a possibility of below-normal rainfall conditions, which could bring dry spells and droughts in some areas of the country. It may lead to rationing of water for power generation, irrigation and domestic use.
The availability of clean water is a local and global concern. Only recently, the United Nations (UN) held a Water Conference last March 22 to 24, 2023. The goal is to adopt a ‘Water Action Agenda’, representing voluntary commitments of nations and stakeholders to accomplish the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their targets connected to water.
The UN said that billions of people worldwide still live without safely managed drinking water and sanitation, even though access to both services has long been defined as a human right. Bold commitments are required to ensure the well-being and prosperity of both people and the planet, to achieve the SDGs and to meet biodiversity and climate targets. Without enough water at the right time in the right quality, there is no sustainable development, including security, food and energy access, the UN said.
Here in the Philippines, water is also being given special attention. Recently, President Bongbong Marcos signed an Executive Order creating the Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) to manage the country’s water resources. At present, there are different government agencies handling water concerns.
The functions of the WRMO is to formulate and ensure the implementation of the Integrated Water Management Plan, which will integrate the various plans of different agencies such as the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). The President said that the first priority of the WRMO is to reduce the country’s reliance on groundwater and deep wells and manage surface water supply.
The drilling of deepwells is regulated by the NWRB. Sadly, some unscrupulous individuals and companies drill and pump groundwater without the necessary permit. As a result, groundwater is slowly being depleted. In some areas, this unregulated extraction has led to subsidence (sinking of the ground) and saltwater intrusion into groundwater sources.
The proposed WRMO shall be placed under the DENR and will be a transitory body pending the creation of a Water Resources Department. There are several bills filed in the lower house of Congress creating this new department. One of the bills, HB 00482, was filed by former President and now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 30 last year. All bills are pending in the committee level.
In the Senate, there are at least six bills which seek to establish the Department of Water Resources and are all pending in the committee level. If the creation of this water agency is a priority of the current administration, I wonder why the different bills have not been consolidated and fast-tracked in both houses of Congress.