Water districts set nat’l convention in Iloilo City

The country’s water districts will seek to secure better options for funding and technological support to sustain their water supply and sanitation projects in the countryside as they convene in the 39th annual national convention of the Philippine Association of Water Districts (PAWD) on Feb. 7-9 at the Iloilo Convention Center in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Principal guests of honor and speakers are Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on the Environment, and Deputy House Speaker, Rep. Fredenil H. Castro. Also expected to attend are Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr., Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa lll, and Administrator Jeci A. Lapus of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

Deputy Speaker Castro shall keynote the opening of the convention while Senator Legarda will address the body at the closing session, after inducting the incoming new chairman and president and other officers of PAWD who will be elected during the convention.

PAWD outgoing Chairman Renato Mercado of the Metro Cebu Water District and outgoing President Alma Abrasaldo of the Bayawan Water District will lead board directors and general managers of the country’s 500 water districts in the discussions with LWUA and other officials.

They hope to discuss “holistic and appropriate approaches” to common problems faced by water utilities nationwide in view of the challenges of population and economic growth and the climate change.

While water districts can now access funding in the financial market and enter into joint ventures with private investors for their improvement and expansion projects, a number of them are still in urgent need of government funding and technical assistance, PAWD officials said.

The bigger water districts need funding and technological inputs for the development of their own sewerage or at least septage treatment and disposal systems to comply with the Clean Water Act and other sanitation and environmental laws.

The convention will hear resource speakers from LWUA, the Department of Health, the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the private sector. A product and technological exhibit will be held during the convention.