Cimatu takes on Water Challenge

At the invitation of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, the Water Alliance visited the DENR office and presented the program of the alliance to address the issues facing the country’s water resources.

The Water Alliance is spearheaded by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and initially had 32 members including First Philippine Holdings, Aboitiz Group, Shell, Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola, Smart/PLDT, San Miguel, Maynilad, Manila Water, World Wildlife Fund and Oxfam.

The Water Alliance presented to Cimatu the four action areas: 1. Water for Waterless Communities, 2. Water Footprint reduction 3. Governance and Policy Reform and 4. Research and Database mining.

Cimatu, together with Undersecretary Ipat Luna and EMB Director Jacqueline Caancan shared the various programs of DENR relating to water resource management and the identified priority areas.

Of serious concern to the DENR is the poor water quality of Manila Bay, Laguna Lake and various river tributaries due to solid waste and untreated sewage.

Cimatu was also alarmed that 90 percent of the potable water in greater Metro Manila comes from the Angat Dam and that there are no other viable sources of potable water should Angat Dam become inoperable or damaged.