"There is something wrong with the way we manage this natural resource."
"There is something wrong with the way we manage this natural resource."
When it rains, it pours. But when it’s dry, Filipinos face water shortage.
In March this year, we were troubled by the low water levels in our dams, particularly those supplying the water requirements of households in Metro Manila. Last week, we were confronted again with the same scenario, threatening our water supply for the months to come.
The ber months were expected to bring in intense rains that would fill our dams enough water to last until the summer season. However, unlike in the past years, the typhoons which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility this year did not bring sufficient rain.
While we have no control over the effects of climate change, the government still has the responsibility to deal with and resolve the problem of water shortage. Last March, I led the call for the commitment of our water regulatory bodies and water concessionaires to resolve the water crisis. Congress conducted investigations where water concessionaires were asked to explain the nature of the water crisis during that time. While the commitment of these agencies were obtained, it seems that the resolutions were inadequate as we are now experiencing the same problem anew.
Once again, I rise to the occasion of calling for effective and immediate solutions in order to address the water shortage and stop the rotational water interruptions. What we need is a sustainable solution that will allow us to conserve this precious natural resource. We are surrounded by water, yet we cannot make use of these waters for our basic needs.
Wastewater recycling is a new technology arising from developed countries. While the process may be expensive at the moment, investing in such technology proves to be beneficial not only to the environment, but also to the people since the technology is sustainable and cost-effective in the long term.
We suffer from water rate hikes and substandard services of our existing water concessionaires, some of which have been fined hundreds of millions due to the failure to comply with environmental laws, with the threat of shifting this monetary burden to consumers. Clearly, this kind of service cannot be permitted to continue. It is unacceptable for consumers to bear the burden of inadequacies of these private concessionaires. Perhaps, it is high time to shift our perspective and look for sustainable approaches to secure water supply.
As an archipelago, it is quite ironic that water resource is scarce in the country. Water should not be expensive. That said, there is something wrong with the way we regulate this natural resource. As a public utility, provision of water is greatly imbued with public interest that must be set as a priority over any capitalist intentions. We cannot let natural monopolies be left unregulated at the expense of our consuming public. The President has recently said that drastic measures may be adopted to resolve the issue of water shortage. Let me reiterate the mandate given to our water regulatory bodies, that is to ensure adequate and uninterrupted supply of water for domestic and other purposes. Regulation, therefore, must be strengthened to prevent the taking advantage of private water companies to the inelastic demand.
Our consumers are overcharged for services they don’t receive, yet the net income of these agencies grow year by year. In the end, consumers are the ultimate recipients of the deficiencies in our system. For this reason, I strongly demand transparency from our water concessionaires and existing regulatory bodies.