By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) has renewed its call for the creation of a Department of Water Resources (DWR) to unify the government’s response to flooding, drought and water supply challenges.
The recommendation was presented during PSAC’s 8th Infrastructure Sector meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Wednesday, where the council urged faster and more coordinated action to strengthen the country’s disaster and water resilience.
“We should not wait for the next earthquake, flood, or drought. We need to act before it happens,” PSAC lead convenor Sabin Aboitiz, president and CEO of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, said in a statement Thursday.
On flood management, PSAC said solutions should address the entire water system rather than focus on individual projects.
It recommended clearing the Manggahan Floodway, pursuing the Parañaque Spillway and supporting waste-to-energy facilities, alongside the creation of the DWR.
Aboitiz said a unified approach is needed to address the country’s interconnected water challenges.
“On flooding, we cannot solve it project by project. We have to look at the whole system,” he said.
The proposed DWR seeks to address the fragmented management of the country’s water resources, which is currently shared by several government agencies and units, including the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Local Water Utilities Administration, National Irrigation Administration, National Water Resources Board, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources, among others.
The proposal has been pursued by successive administrations.
Under the Marcos Jr. administration, Executive Order 22 created the Water Resources Management Office under the DENR as an interim mechanism to integrate and harmonize government policies and programs pending the establishment of the DWR.
The DWR remains a legislative proposal, with the Marcos Jr. administration including it among its priority bills for the 20th Congress.
PSAC also cited Metro Manila’s experience during the 2026 drought as an example of the importance of early preparation.
Angat Dam fell to around 151 meters, below the 159-meter low recorded during the 2019 El Niño.
Despite this, Metro Manila avoided major El Niño-related water interruptions, which PSAC attributed to additional water sources, reduced water losses, and improvements in storage and network management.
The council recommended issuing earlier drought warnings, taking coordinated action before water levels become critical, and simplifying and expediting permits for critical water projects.
“What changed was not the drought risk. It was our ability to cope with it,” Aboitiz said.
“Resilience does not happen by accident. We have to prepare and invest ahead of the need.”
Beyond water management, PSAC recommended the full implementation of PNS 49:2026, or the Philippine National Standard for steel bars used in concrete reinforcement.
The council cited the Department of Trade and Industry’s destruction in April 2026 of 12,500 metric tons of imported cement that failed key strength and durability tests.
PSAC also proposed a Building Resilience Seal for homes and buildings inspected and found to meet earthquake-resilience standards.
Created by the President in 2022, PSAC is composed of business leaders and industry experts who provide policy recommendations to help achieve the administration’s economic priorities.
