House, Senate probing water crisis

A joint House of Representatives committee and the Senate committee on public services begin their inquiry this week into the water shortage that hit many parts of Metro Manila and Rizal province.

The committees on Metro Manila development and housing and urban development headed by Reps. Winston Castelo of Quezon City and Albee Benitez of Negros Occidental, respectively, are investigating massive complaints starting today.

“We will need explanation from the concessionaires, regulators and the experts on why we got into this mess and their suggestion on how we can get out of it,” Castelo said. “We need to get a clear picture of the situation and how we’re going to deal with it.”

Reports of water supply lack persisted in eastern Metro Manila being serviced by Manila Water.

“We have to look into the water shortage with dispatch and assure the people that the government is addressing the problem, with assurance that it would not happen again,” Benitez said.

The joint panel sent invitations to stakeholders in the water industry, among them the two biggest water utilities – Manila Water and Maynilad – and the National Water Regulatory Board.

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said Congress could help address this problem by requiring commercial, institutional and residential estate developers to install rainwater retention facilities in their projects in Metro Manila and other major cities.

Villafuerte added that water rationing in Metro Manila should prompt Congress to act on bills on water conservation like his proposal to construct facilities converting harvested rainwater for non-potable uses.

“Rainwater is a free, abundant and regular natural resource that the Philippines is fortunate to receive year in and out. It is high time that we make use of it for the general advantage of our people,” he said.

Speaker Gloria MacapagalArroyo has moved to help solve the water problem, which is on its second week now.

Last week, Arroyo led the opening of the cross border pipe at the corner of West Avenue corner Bulacan Street in Quezon City to allow Maynilad to give water to Manila Water.

Public service

Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the committee on public services, said she is “bent on finding out the truth” on the water crisis as affected consumers are becoming impatient and restless and want immediate solutions.

“There has been much speculation but we have to find out what happened, and most importantly, when will our people get relief? When will we have water supply?” Poe said in an interview with reporters in Pampanga last Saturday.

Poe said the government regulator Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and Manila Water should stop finger-pointing and instead offer solutions.

“If there’s anybody who erred, we must find out who were remiss in their jobs,” she said.

For his part, Sen. Richard Gordon said concerned local government units should issue ordinances directing their constituents to observe water conservation practices.

At the same time, Gordon called on the public to do their part in preventing the water crisis from worsening. To do this, he said people should be conscious of their water usage and observe water conservation measures.

“We should all do our part,” Gordon said.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the committee on energy, said it was time for the government to harness the newly signed Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) law to prevent water shortages in the future.

With the law, Gatchalian said, the government will be able to streamline the permitting process of hydroelectric power projects.

“With the implementation of EVOSS, we are hitting two birds with one stone—we are not only ensuring the country’s energy security but also ensuring that there will be water flowing in the taps of every household,” Gatchalian said.