Sen. Grace Poe. INQUIRER.net photo / CATHY MIRANDA
MANILA, Philippines – Reelectionist Senator Grace Poe has encouraged local government units to establish catchment areas or water cisterns to help communities during dry season or droughts.
Poe made this remark as she expressed concern over the lack of water supply in several areas in Metro Manila while farms in some provinces experience drought, and especially since an El Niño episode is poised to occur in the country.
Catchment areas or water cisterns collect rainwater and can be tapped in the event of water supply scarcity.
Residents of Metro Manila, Rizal, and nearby provinces are going through water supply shortage in the past few days due to critical level of dams with provinces recording losses in agricultural crop this early.
READ: Dry taps spark outcry
READ: Provinces start to reel from El Niño
Poe said: “Hindi lang sa pagtatayo ng dams, dapat may water catchment facilities din. ‘Di ba sa atin grabe pag umulan, ang lakas, ‘yung tubig umaagos lang.”
“‘Yung communities maglagay paano makolekta ang tubig. Hindi naman tayo magre-rely lang sa dam,” she added.
The senator has been pushing for the passage of a bill that seeks to create a single agency that would be in charge of sustainable water management and sanitation.
Senate Bill 1217 or the proposed Water Regulatory Act, which Poe filed in 2016, is aimed at rationalizing and streamlining the functions of various state agencies in terms of water regulation.
“Dapat may iisang water regulatory board na ‘di lang sa tubig kundi pati sa sewerage system kasi ngayon wala pang ganyan,” Poe said.
According to Poe, the proposed board will be tasked to set the policy for water supply, sewerage, and septage management, as well as issue licenses, and set, review or approve rates.
Poe noted that the “in ineffective delivery of water and sanitation services” is a result of the country’s current “fragmented” systems relating to water supply, management, and regulation. /kga