In letters to Senate President Manuel B. Villar, Senate Majority Floorleader Francis N. Pangilinan and Senate Minority Floorleader Aquilino M. Pimentel, LWUA Administrator Lorenzo H. Jamora requested that S.B. No. 2165, authored by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and currently pending consideration before the Senate Committee on Public Works and Highways, chaired by Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., be given preferential consideration.

Administrator Jamora stressed to the new Senate President and the two Floorleaders that the enactment into law of the proposed bill, which seeks to further amend Presidential Decree No. 198, will play a pivotal role in enabling LWUA to fast track the implementation of provincial water supply systems and in order to prevent the occurrence of water-borne diseases particularly in the countryside.

Among others, S.B. No. 2165 seeks an 11-point amendment to the outmoded LWUA-WD charter including an increase in the agency's capital stock from P2.5 billion, which has been fully subscribed as early as 1992, to P50 billion, Jamora added.

The LWUA chief also informed the solons that as of this date, there are only 453 water districts in towns and cities outside Metro Manila which means that there are still at least 1,000 municipalities which are deprived of safe and potable drinking water. He stressed that this actually explains the periodic or recurrence of cholera outbreak during rainy season in said areas.

The water agency noted that local government units (LGUs), which do not have water districts, only rely on primitive water facilities and that the lack of modern water supply system in these areas constantly expose residents to the hazard of drinking contaminated or unsafe and unprocessed raw water or none at all.

Jamora expressed hope that Congress will include the proposed changes to its charter as legislators are themselves aware of the poor water supply facilities in the rural areas.

He pointed out that the requested increase in capitalization and borrowing authority will enable the agency to solve the provincial water supply backlog in the next five years.

Jamora added that the establishment of potable, reliable and safe water supply will greatly spur economic activities in the countryside. Generally, he said, foreign and local investors avoid areas without modern water supply systems.

Meanwhile, for its counterpart, the House Committee on Public Works and Highways, chaired by Pangasinan 3rd District Rep. Generoso DC Tulagan will hold its second public/committee hearing on August 2, 2006 and is expected to schedule an Executive Committee Meeting (EXECOM) and thereafter prepare the committee report. This is after having two Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings earlier this year and one public hearing in May.
c July 28, 2006