NOV.

7, 2012

NR # 2916

Creation of Department of Water, Sewage and Sanitation (DWSS) proposed A lawmaker has proposed the creation of a Department of Water, Sewage and Sanitation (DWSS) that will enhance the Filipino peoples right to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation which are essential to basic health and economic prosperity. Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Party-list, Bagong Henerasyon) proposed the DWSS creation, noting that while the Philippines is a water rich country, many Filipinos still experience deprivation from affordable, safe drinking water and a working sanitation system. This perennial problem has seriously affected the lives of our citizens in terms of health, sanitation, food security and livelihood, in addition to negatively impacting the environment, she said. Herrera-Dy said the country is lacking a strong liquid in-liquid out system, meaning even if households are serviced with clean drinking water, a small number of these households get adequate sanitation and sewerage services, leading to sever cases of leptospirosis, dengue, typhoid, and related tropical and water-borne illnesses. This year alone, there has been a 16 percent increase in cases of dengue fever over the same period as last year. Moreover, 31 percent of illnesses in the country are waterrelated, she said. To live in a community that is clean, free from human waste, and abundant with safe and affordable drinking water is an utmost human right, so much so that 189 states have recognized the Right to Water and Sanitation at the United Nations in 2011 as cited by the World Water Forum according to Herrera-Dy. Herrera-Dy, a vice chairperson of the House Committee on the Welfare of Children, said through her proposal embodied in House Bill 6578, the country manifests its support to the international movement and declares a primary political priority the universal access to water and sanitation, and sustainable management of water resources as indispensable basis for social and economic improvement and basic health and prosperity of Filipinos. Likewise, she said the country is also committing to meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals for water and sanitation through the bill. House Bill 6578 or the proposed DWSS Act provides the functions of the DWSS, among others, shall be to: Set the policy for water supply and sewage and septage management; Manage the countrys water resources to ensure optimal use, including the preservation of land and water; Build, maintain, and monitor water-related infrastructure

to ensure quality and accessibility; Manage the ownership, appropriation, utilization, exploitation, development, conservation and protection of water resources and rights to land related thereto and their competing demands; and Contribute to international dialogue around, and push for domestic adoption of policies to achieve universal access to water and sanitation. The DWSS shall be headed by a Secretary to be appointed by the President. No person shall be appointed DWSS Secretary unless he possesses extensive knowledge of public administration and has a minimum of 10 years experience in the administration of water, sewage or sanitation programs preferably in a public agency, based on the bill. The DWSS shall be composed of the following organizational units: A) Department Proper consisting of the Office of the Secretary, Offices of the Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries, the Internal Audit Services, Monitoring and Information Service, Planning Service, Comptrollership and Financial Management Service, Legal Service, and the Administrative Service; B) Bureau of Research and Standards , Bureau of Design, Bureau of Construction, Bureau of Maintenance, and Bureau of Equipment; and C) the Regional Offices as deemed appropriate and necessary by the DWSS Secretary. (30) rbb