ILOILO CITY: The Iloilo provincial board urged members of the House of Representatives to look into the current state of local water districts affecting millions of consumers.
The provincial board unanimously approved on Tuesday a resolution calling for a probe and amendments to the law covering their operation to ensure an effective and efficient water supply system.
‘Every Filipino and our communities need access to clean and safe water essential to our health. To this end, local water districts play an important role in providing potable water services across the country to ensure that we have access to reliable and affordable water supply,’ Board Member Domingo Oso Jr. said in his privilege speech.
He urged the House to review and amend the 51-year-old Presidential Decree No.198 which granted local operation and control of water districts.
‘There is a need to revisit and assess the existing laws and regulations governing local water districts in order to identify areas of improvement and potential ame
ndments to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of water districts in our country,’ he said.
During the deliberation, Board Member Matt Palabrica said many local government units (LGUs) remain underserved by the existing law, particularly the adverse state of water supply in his hometown of Bingawan.
He said the framework of the decree is only limited to areas with local water districts. Once revitalized, it must be inclusive and comprehensive to address gaps.
‘I believe [Presidential Decree no. 198] is already outdated, so this is high time because again, the Municipality of Bingawan belongs to the most waterless municipality in the entire archipelago,’ Palabrica said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
