GOOD START FOR WATER SECURITY TRANSITION

THE European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) said it welcomes the creation of the Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) as a transitory body pending the creation of a Water Resource Department.

“In line with our longstanding advocacy of attaining water security in the Philippines, the Chamber has long called for the creation of an apex body to lead the crafting and implementation of policies and initiatives for the Philippine water sector, as well as streamline institutions to further facilitate ease of doing business in the said sector,” ECCP said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the business group, the creation of the WRMO is a “welcomed first step in fully realizing this as it aims to strengthen collaboration among various agencies in implementing water management programs in accordance with the Integrated Water Management Plan,” which it said will be crafted by the new agency.

ECCP also stressed the need to approach water resource planning using Integrated Water Resource Management (IWFM), which it described as an “Internationally recognized” framework that is used to guide countries in their journey to water security.

This is based on the idea that water issues should not be approached in “isolation,” but rather in a “more holistic” manner due to the interdependence of the uses of finite water resources, the business chamber explained.

With this, ECCP said it remains committed to working with the government and other stakeholders in resolving the current water-related issues in the country.

“The ECCP, together with its Environment and Water Committee, strongly advocates for regular multistakeholder engagements to be institutionalized in order to allow exchange of insights, facilitate coordination and come up with effective solutions on water-related issues,” the business group stated.

In this light, the ECCP “highly encourages” that a Multistakeholder Advisory Panel be established under the WRMO with representation from the private sector, academe and civil society to serve as an additional “soundboard” for the said office in the crafting and implementation of policies, programs and projects for the water sector in line with IWRM’S principle of participatory governance.

This “interim structural reform,” the business group said, will hopefully provide more “synergy” with public-private partnerships, as it leads and encourages the establishment of investments, technology, benchmarking, and sharing of best practices.

Two weeks ago, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the formation of the WRMO to consolidate water management efforts of all concerned government offices.

According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the core task of WRMO would be to formulate and ensure the implementation of the Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP) of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).