Senator Kiko Pangilinan called for the passage of a comprehensive National Water Resources Management Law to address the escalating flood problems across the country.
Senate Bill No. 225 or the National Water Resources Management Act seeks to establish a more coordinated framework for managing the nation’s water resources, enhancing flood prevention, and safeguarding communities vulnerable to climate-induced disasters.
“My bill to create a Department of Water Resources and establish a national framework for water resource management will address several issues–flood, irrigation, and potable water.”
In an interview, Pangilinan said that his bill to create a Department of Water Resources and establish a national framework for water resource management will address several issues–flood, irrigation, and potable water.
“Sangay-sangay ‘yung usapin ng tubig so dapat talaga may separate na department of water,” the veteran legislator told reporters. “Dapat ‘yan matiyak na nasa isang ahensya para mabilis ang kilos at coordinated.”
Currently, water management falls under several agencies–the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“My proposed measure would cut across many aspects of the country’s problems with water.”
But noting that water resource management is critical to the country, the seasoned lawmaker said his proposed measure would cut across many aspects of the country’s problems with water.
In particular, the establishment of a Department of Water Resources will create the Bureau of Flood Control and Drainage, which “shall plan and design, in coordination with the DPWH and other relevant government agencies, flood control and drainage structures and facilities in accordance with technical standards, guidelines and manuals, and provide technical assistance to other agencies, LGUs, and other stakeholders”.
The department will also be mandated to coordinate closely with the DPWH to prepare master plans for bulk water transmission, pipe networks, related water delivery infrastructures, and flood control and drainage management.
This comes amid the current congressional probe into the anomalous flood control projects that bared instances of favoritism and ghost or non-existent projects.
The senator expressed hope that the investigation will hold those behind the anomalous deals and projects accountable.
“We hope so di ba?,” he said when asked about the probe.
“Hopefully, with this, may mga ma-sample-an na talaga,” Pangilinan concluded.
