SEN. Grace Poe yesterday said she is hoping that President Marcos Jr. would issue an urgent certification for the immediate passage of the creation of the Department of Water Resources Management bill.
This was after the President, during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, reiterated his call for the creation of the new agency which “can lead the way to the creation of a separate water department.”
Marcos also mentioned the creation of the department during his first SONA.
“Let’s seize the moment stirred by the President’s marching orders to finally pass the Department of Water Resources Management bill. Water deserves serious focus and consolidated effort. We must act before the crisis exacerbates,” Poe said in a statement.
Lawmakers have been pushing for the creation of a water department since the 18th Congress as there have been separate bills filed by several senators.
In the early days of the First Regular Session of the 19th Congress, several senators, including Poe, refiled the proposed measure, which is still pending at the committee level.
Poe refiled the proposed measure after Marcos renewed his push for the creation of the department during a recent Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting.
Poe said now that Marcos has again mentioned the creation of the Department of Water Resources Management in his second SONA, it is best if he would issue an urgent certification to pave for its speedy passage.
“We hope the push for a water department law can take a step forward with an urgent certification from the President,” said Poe, chairman of the Committee on Public Services.
Counterpart measures have also been filed at the House of Representatives and are still pending before the House Committee on Government Reorganization.
