Aquino orders DPWH chief to submit water master plan before end of Lent

MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III said on Monday that he has ordered Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson to submit, before the end of Lent, a master plan for the country’s water sector.

Speaking at the Water Loss 2012 Conference at the Edsa Shangrila hotel in Mandaluyong City, the President acknowledged that as early as October 2011, he came out with an executive order that tasked an inter-agency headed by Singson to “design and recommend a master plan for our water sector.”

The Chief Executive said he learned that the master plan was being finalized as of Monday.

“To Secretary and Water Czar Babes Singson and everyone else involved: I look forward to seeing your proposal on my desk hopefully before the end of the Lenten season,” Aquino said.

The President said the government needed the help of stakeholders to improve the water sector, as it could not do it alone.

The conference was attended by top officials of Maynilad Water Services Inc., and Manila Water Company Inc., led by business tycoons Manny Pangilinan and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, who helped organized the event.