Gov’t to review performance of water concessionaires

The government is expected to review the performance of water concessionaires as part of an envisioned master plan to ensure better water resource management in the country.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles bared the forthcoming performance review after President Duterte approved in principle a draft executive order placing the supervision of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) under the Of

fice of the President.

"That's one aspect that will be reviewed under the Office of the President. The concessionaire agreements, the compliance of our concessionaires with the plans will be part of our review," Nograles said in Filipino.

“We will review their performance vis-a-vis what is stated in the terms of the agreement," he added.

He noted that the President has recently ordered the review of all government contracts to remove any onerous provisions. The contracts under review include the deals with Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water, he added.

All departments have been tasked to take a review of all these contacts and submit them to the OP for further review," he added.

According to Nograles, the draft executive order seeking to address the country's water issues is now being finalized by the Office of the Executive Secretary and will soon be signed by the President.

The proposed executive order seeks to reconstitute the National Water Resources Board into a policy and direction-setting body and integrate all government efforts related to water. The supervision of the NWRB will also be transferred to the President's office from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

"That has to pass through vetting pero in principle, the President has already approved it during the last Cabinet meeting,” Nograles said in relation to the proposed EO on water.

Under the proposed EO, Nograles said the reconstituted NWRB would be directed to craft a national water management master plan that would integrate all relevant and existing plans and roadmaps of the different agencies.

"But in order for us to create a master plan we have to get everybody, all the water sector bodies, offices, agencies and departments get together and coordinate with each other and the best way to do that is would be to put it under the Office of the President," he said.

"So pending Congress passing a

Department of Water, this is the fastest way that we can resolve all our water resource issues and concerns," he added.

He said an integrated water resource management would help address any water concerns not only in Metro Manila but in other parts of the country.

He noted that proper water management during the wet and dry seasons would also be included in the planned master plan.

"Two months from now, we will be experiencing torrential rains so baha naman yun [there will be floods] so there has to be a master plan on how we are supposed to manage all of these water from the river basins, all the way to the rainwater," he said.

So in case of a problem on water when it comes to consumption of water, our plans will be laid out and we have a framework for that," he added.

Nograles had earlier recognized the need for various government agencies to work together instead of playing the blame game following the recent water supply interruptions in Metro Manila. He noted that concerned Cabinet members and other water officials were “focused on finding solutions to the problem instead of dwelling on its roots.”