Poe: Sapat na suplay ng tubig, tiyakin

Hinimok ni Sen. Grace Poe ang mga water concessionaire at mga ahensiya ng gobyerno na doblehin ang kanilang pagsisikap na maibsan ang epekto ng tagtuyot sa suplay ng tubig sa bansa.

"Kailangan ng pagtutulungan ng lahat para matugunan ang pangangailangan sa tubig ng ating mga konsyumer lalo na't nasa gitna tayo ng posibilidad ng panibagong virus surge. Walang puwang ang pagiging kampante," pagdidiin ni Poe.

Ginawa ng senadora ang pahayag sa gitna ng patuloy na pagbaba ng antas ng tubig sa Angat Dam na nagbabanta sa suplay ng tubig sa National Capital Region at katabing mga lalawigan, batay na rin sa ulat ng Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Matatagpuan sa Norzagaray, Bulacan, ang dam ay pinanggagalingan ng mahigit 90 porsiyento ng water requirement sa Metro Manila. Ito rin ang pangunahing inaasahan para sa irigasyon ng mga lupang sakahan sa Bulacan at Pampanga.

"Inaasahan nating tutuparin ng mga water concessionaire ang kanilang mga obligasyon sa ilalim ng kanilang bagong prangkisa at revised concession agreement, at tatapusin ang mga proyekto para sa maaasahan at ligtas na suplay ng tubig," paalala ng chairperson ng Senate public services committee.

Sa Resolution No. 2022-02-CA, nauna nang pinatawan ng Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office ng multang P63,973,362 ang Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) at inatasang magbigay ng rebate sa mga naapektuhang konsyumer sa west zone dahil sa mga naranasang water service interruption mula Disyembre 2021 hanggang Pebrero 2022.

Samantala, inanunsiyo ng Maynilad nitong Miyerkules na magpapatupad sila ng bagong rotational water service interruptions para sa maayos na distribusyon ng limitadong suplay ng tubig kada araw.

"Ang tagtuyot ay dumaraan taun-taon. Hindi dapat ito gamiting mabilis na dahilan sa mahabang water service interruptions samantalang marami pang maaaring isagawa," pahayag ni Poe.

"Isang malaking pagkukulang ang pagkaitan ng pangunahing pangangailangan ang ating mga kababayang nagsusumikap bumangon mula sa hagupit ng pandemya," dagdag ng senador.

Poe: Intensify efforts to keep water available to consumers

Sen. Grace Poe asked water concessionaires and concerned government agencies to double down on their collaborative efforts to mitigate the impact of the dry season on water supply across the country.

"We need all hands on deck to ably manage the water requirements of our consumers especially in the face of another possible virus surge. Complacency certainly has no place in these back-to-back threats," Poe said.

Water level at Angat Dam is dwindling due to lack of rainfall, threatening the supply of water in the National Capital Region and adjacent provinces, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Located in Norzagaray, Bulacan, the dam supplies about 90 percent of Metro Manila's water requirement. The reservoir is also the major source of irrigation for farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.

"We expect our water concessionaires to deliver on their commitments under their renewed franchise and revised concession agreement, and complete the projects necessary to have safe and reliable water on the taps," the chairperson of the Senate public services committee reminded.

In its Resolution No. 2022-02-CA, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office earlier imposed a penalty of P63,973,362 to Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) and ordered it to give rebates to affected west zone consumers for the "unusual and prolonged water service interruptions from December 2021 to February 2022."

Maynilad announced on Wednesday (April 20) that it will implement new rotational water service interruptions to maximize limited supply and ensure all customers will have some water supply daily.

"The dry season comes year in and year out. It shouldn't be an outright excuse for unduly prolonging water service interruptions when definitely much can still be done," Poe said.

"It would be a disservice to fail our people in their most basic need at this time of struggle to recover from the pandemic," Poe added.