Bill creating Department of Water Resources eyed for passage before 19th Congress ends
Photo Courtesy of ledac.neda.gov.ph
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Tuesday said a measure pushing for the creation of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is targeted to be passed before the end of the 19th Congress.
This development follows the 7th meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) on Monday, 9 December.
NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the establishment of the DWR and the accompanying Water Regulatory Commission is listed as one of the top priority bills under the LEDAC Common Legislative Agenda (CLA).
Balisacan stressed that the creation of the DWR will help address the country’s persistent challenges in flood management and agricultural productivity.
By integrating the country’s governance and regulation of water resources, he said the DWR will contribute to national efforts to achieve comprehensive water security.
“The recurring devastation caused by heavy typhoons necessitates that we prepare for our country’s future and safety,” he said.
Balisacan noted the DWR will be mandated to coordinate with relevant agencies on the construction of water projects, which will improve the country’s irrigation and flood management.
The measure allows the establishment of a central agency to efficiently manage and develop the country’s water resources, addressing issues such as the current institutional fragmentation of the sector, he added.
During the LEDAC meeting, the Council also reviewed the progress of the Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, the Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers, and the National Government Rightsizing Program.
A total of 29 out of 64 bills under CLA have been signed into law, as of this press time.
The LEDAC, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is a high-level advisory body that sets the government’s legislative priorities. It is composed of the Senate President, the Speaker of the House, and representatives from the Senate, the House of Representatives, and Cabinet members.
NEDA serves as the Principal Secretariat for LEDAC.