By Brian Jules Campued
The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remains committed to ensuring every Filipino’s access to sufficient and clean water by pursuing “more transformative endeavors” such as multi-purpose dams.
In a speech at the impounding process ceremony of the Upper Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal on Wednesday, Marcos stressed the importance of using water wisely as the demand for clean water continues to increase.
“At the end of the day, water remains at the core, not only for human survival but also for national development. Water is life. Water is life for human beings. Water is life for our economy,” Marcos said.
The President said that in order to utilize water “as many times and for as many purposes as possible,” the government must build more multi-purpose dams to ensure water supply for drinking, irrigation, power generation, flood control, and aquaculture.
The Upper Wawa Dam, Marcos noted, is expected to increase water supply in Metro Manila and nearby areas from 80 million liters per day to 438 million liters per day by the end of 2025. It could even increase to 710 million liters per day in the succeeding years.
“These 438 to 710 million liters per day translate to supporting the water supply needs of about 2.2 to 3.5 million Filipinos in the MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) service area,” he said.
Meanwhile, Phase 1 of the P26.5-billion Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project or the Tayabasan Weir has already improved the water supply situation in Rizal.
“This dam will also foster climate resilience amongst our people by protecting our communities downstream from flooding and by mitigating the detrimental effects of drought,” Marcos said.
“Without a doubt, the progress that we have made here at the Upper Wawa Dam is a significant stride towards our goal of social and economic transformation,” he added.
The Chief Executive also underscored the need for a new water source to ensure water security in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas, adding that the Angat Dam in Bulacan “may no longer meet the needs” of about 14 million residents.
He called on Prime Infra and WawaJVCo, the private partners of the government for the project, to continue collaborating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and prioritize watershed protection in Wawa Dam as well as the reforestation and biodiversity preservation in the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape.
“Please continue implementing these innovative designs and practices in your initiatives so that you can uphold the delicate balance of our ecosystem and continue to reinforce our nation’s resilience against ecological adversities,” Marcos said.
He also urged stakeholders to maximize the use of facilities by using captured water for renewable energy generation, thereby paving the way for a more sustainable and energy-efficient Philippines.
“I likewise call upon every Filipino to amplify our efforts to conserve the country’s water resources. Let us remember that the stewardship of these resources is not just a task but a shared responsibility of us all,” Marcos said. – iro
