A master plan which aims to provide safe water supply and sanitation services for all Filipinos will require an investment of around P1.1 trillion in the water supply and sanitation sector until the end of this decade, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.
Karl Kendrick Chua, socioeconomic planning secretary, in a speech yesterday said integrated interventions from the local and national government, and stakeholders are crucial to achieve the goal of providing universal access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation to Filipinos by 2030.
“Such cooperation is at the heart of the Philippine Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan, which was approved by the NEDA Board Committee on Infrastructure last April 6. It aims to not only provide safe water supply and sanitation services for all Filipinos, but also ensure that these services can withstand disasters and protect the environment,” Chua said during the virtual launch of the plan Thursday.
“The plan calls for a total investment of around P1.1 trillion in the sector until 2030. By having clear policies and a unified framework, we look forward to more investments and participation from the private sector, the international development community, as well as local and national agencies. We also support the creation of the Department of Water Resources, which will unify our fragmented water sector and spearhead the implementation of this master plan,” he added.
Chua highlighted that only 44 percent of households have individual connections to a proper, fully-reticulated waterworks system. The remaining 56 percent, or 57 million Filipinos, have to fetch water for their families from communal pipes, springs or wells up to 250 meters away.
The NEDA chief said such conditions put them at risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus in a time when proper hygiene is essential. In response, the master plan creates a unifying framework for planning, implementing and funding in the sector.
The master plan focuses on eight key reform agendas: establishing effective water supply and sanitation sector institutions, strengthening the regulatory environment, creating and ensuring effective water supply and sanitation services, balancing water supply and demand, building climate resilience, enabling access to financing, managing data and information to determine baseline and gaps of investments and driving research and development in the sector. – Angela Celis
