The state of water resources in the Philippines - Greenpeace
The state of water resources in the Philippines - Greenpeace
The state of water resources in the Philippines - Greenpeace
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process expropriat<strong>in</strong>g a portion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Irrigators Association’s (NIA)<br />
<strong>water</strong> rights (Jose, A. and Cruz, N., 1999).<br />
In a news report, former DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes mentions that <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
now a need to review this policy <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> light <strong>of</strong> sectoral ‘conflicts’ <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>water</strong> <strong>resources</strong> (Gaylican, 2007).<br />
Corporations also directly compete with <strong>the</strong> people for <strong>the</strong> control and use <strong>of</strong><br />
available fresh<strong>water</strong> <strong>resources</strong><br />
For <strong>in</strong>stance, Benguet Corporation, a U.S. m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g firm which is now ventur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>water</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess, holds 65 <strong>water</strong> appropriation permits issued by <strong>the</strong> NWRB.<br />
<strong>The</strong> permits cover major creeks, spr<strong>in</strong>gs, and rivers <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> municipality <strong>of</strong> Itogon<br />
<strong>in</strong> Benguet prov<strong>in</strong>ce that communities use for <strong>the</strong>ir domestic and agricultural<br />
needs. In San Pablo City, Laguna, farmers and residents compla<strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong> decl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>water</strong> availability and blame <strong>the</strong> operation <strong>of</strong> a m<strong>in</strong>eral <strong>water</strong> plant by Nestle<br />
Philipp<strong>in</strong>es, Inc. (Padilla, A., 2007).<br />
Weak <strong>water</strong> use regulation and enforcement<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestigation and process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>water</strong> permit applications constitute <strong>the</strong> type<br />
functions for which NWRB is not properly equipped <strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> ei<strong>the</strong>r manpower<br />
or <strong>resources</strong>.<br />
Inefficient <strong>water</strong> use<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is tremendous waste <strong>of</strong> <strong>water</strong> <strong>in</strong> distribution l<strong>in</strong>es, irrigation canals, and at<br />
homes. Inefficiency <strong>in</strong> <strong>water</strong> usage was exacerbated by <strong>the</strong> absence <strong>of</strong><br />
regulations, economic <strong>in</strong>centives, and <strong>in</strong>stitutional arrangements needed to<br />
promote <strong>water</strong> conservation and rational use <strong>of</strong> <strong>water</strong>.<br />
Apart from <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustrial and domestic demand, ano<strong>the</strong>r contribut<strong>in</strong>g<br />
factor to <strong>the</strong> <strong>water</strong> shortage <strong>in</strong> Metro Manila is <strong>the</strong> high level <strong>of</strong> <strong>water</strong> loss due to<br />
leak<strong>in</strong>g pipes and illegal connections.<br />
Depletion <strong>of</strong> ground<strong>water</strong> <strong>resources</strong><br />
Indiscrim<strong>in</strong>ate ground<strong>water</strong> abstraction result<strong>in</strong>g to salt-<strong>in</strong>trusion are noticeable <strong>in</strong><br />
Metro Manila and Cavite (Region IV), Iloilo (Region VI), and Cebu (Region VII).<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>discrim<strong>in</strong>ate use <strong>of</strong> ground<strong>water</strong> wells for residential and <strong>in</strong>dustrial areas<br />
due to <strong>the</strong> failure <strong>of</strong> major utility providers to service <strong>the</strong>se areas is <strong>the</strong> major<br />
cause for <strong>the</strong> depletion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ground<strong>water</strong> <strong>resources</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> country.<br />
Fragmented management<br />
One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most critical issues confront<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Philipp<strong>in</strong>e <strong>water</strong> sector is <strong>the</strong> lack<br />
<strong>of</strong> an appropriate <strong>in</strong>stitutional framework to address issues <strong>of</strong> development and<br />
management <strong>of</strong> <strong>water</strong> and related <strong>resources</strong>. At present, <strong>the</strong>re are over 30<br />
government agencies and departments separately deal<strong>in</strong>g with <strong>water</strong> supply,<br />
irrigation, hydropower, flood control, pollution, <strong>water</strong>shed management, etc. It is<br />
this fragmented approach to <strong>water</strong> management which causes an overlap <strong>of</strong> work<br />
and conflicts among agencies and results <strong>in</strong> a fractional <strong>water</strong> management plan<br />
that does not adequately meet <strong>the</strong> requirements for susta<strong>in</strong>ability (Barba, 2005).<br />
GREENPEACE | <strong>The</strong> <strong>state</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>water</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Philipp<strong>in</strong>es 30