WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WATER IN THE PROVINCES?

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WATER IN THE PROVINCES? The power sector has perfected a system wherein the functions of production, transmission and distribution are clearly assigned to three separate industry players. The National Power Corporation (Napocor) does the production, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) does the transmission, and power concessionaires like MERALCO does the distribution. That is not so in the water sector. In Metro Manila, the two water concessionaires, namely Manila Water and Maynilad are responsible for production, transmission and distribution in their respective concession areas, even if they also depend on water sources owned by the government. It appears to be a different story in the provinces, where the production, transmission and distribution of water is the responsibility of the local water districts. These local water districts are supervised by the Local Water Utilities Authority (LWUA) which is a GOCC according to its charter. In other words, water supply in the provinces is the responsibility of the national government, and not of the LGUs. In the spirit of devolution, is it not about time that Congress investigated this issue? In this connection, we should apply the rule of subsidiarity, to deal with a problem at the lowest possible level. IKE SENERES/06-04-2024