By Brian Campued
The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) on Tuesday vowed to hold water districts and private entities accountable for their poor water service, reiterating that two balikbayan boxes filled with complaints were already submitted to the Office of the President (OP).
During a post-SONA forum in San Juan City, LWUA Administrator Jose Moises Salonga assured the public that the government will make sure to address the water needs of Filipino consumers.
“Matitiyak ninyo mararamdaman nila na mayroong gobyernong gumagalaw at may gobyernong mabisa na tutugon sa problema nilang pantubig,” he said.
The statement came after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. made a firm stance against water service providers and their joint venture partners, whose failed water service delivery inconvenienced about 6 million consumers nationwide.
In his SONA, Marcos Jr. stressed the urgent need to improve access to clean and affordable water, especially in underserved areas.
In line with this, LWUA is also implementing a comprehensive strategy to address issues on joint ventures between local water districts and private firms through joint venture agreements (JVAs).
According to Salonga, these JVAs were entered during a period when LWUA lacked funding. However, he stressed that some failed partnerships resulted in poor service and unfulfilled capital commitments.
“Sa joint venture partners na ito, sa ating problema na ‘to, tinitiyak kong may plano at sinisiguro ko sa inyong gagalaw. Hindi lang ako ngayon makakapagbigay ng detalye for obvious reasons ‘no pero detalyado, at ang strategy—kinukumpuni na, pina-fine tune na para maayos at mabisa ang galaw ng gobyerno,” Salonga said.
“It will not be just an OP approach, a LWUA approach—it’s a whole-of-government approach that would affect.”
Beyond restoration of service, LWUA also aims to update the country’s water regulation framework, citing confusing jurisdiction between regulatory agencies.
“We have a regulator only for Metro Manila pero everywhere else outside of Metro Manila kami naman ‘di ba, so ang dami-dami noon. Sometimes iba ang regulation ng NWRB (National Water Resources Board), iba naman sa LWUA, mayroong regulator for private entities, may regulator for public. Hindi mo naman alam nasaan iyong divide, sometimes blurred iyong lines na iyon,” Salonga explained.
The LWUA official also expressed support for the proposed creation of a Department of Water to “harmonize” water governance in the country.
He added that LWUA is also working with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other stakeholders to adopt new regulatory models for the water sector.
“Now, mainit at natatandaan ko talaga iyong utos ni Presidente. You can rest assured, and the other people na apektado, na walang tubig ngayon na darating sooner than later iyong tulong ng gobyerno at solusyon,” Salonga said.
-jpv
