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LEYTE Rep,MartinRornualdezhas joined the callfor
the cr€alion of a Department of Water.
Rep. Romudlde/, one o( Lhe conrenders for tespeal-
ership,underscored the need tohave a cen trdl a u ihority
on water resource manaeement.
"l full) .ub"cribe to rhe proposal of Cong. Apol.
Sin(e the creation ol Departmen I ol 14 ater is aPriorit)
of President Duterte,I will ask other leaders dfCon-
gress to i;lclude the mini-dam co4Fept in the.legisla-
iive rneasure,'l Rgrnualdez, t tewyer and president of -

The main objectiveolthe Deparbnent of Water js io the Philippine Constitution dssoeiation (Philconsa),
address the problem of drinking water supply in Metro sdid.
Manila and oiher urban a.reas. Pancho said the construction of mini-dami will not
In his proposal, the DeparEnent of water should only help address water shortage but also solve the
prioritize ihe ireation of si$tainable w a ter supply fror4 fl oodingprableminMetloManila andnearby provinces.
varioui sources including rainwater from local catch- "Jusifhis Mbnday, the hearry dompour submerged
ment or mini-darns. several areas of Bulacan and parts ofMeho Manila yet
"It is ionic that Meho Manila is submerged in flood water level in AngatDam rose only by a meter. Ifwe can
waters even at thri slightest downpour, yet households collect iainwater in small dams, then we may have a
do not have a steady Eupply of water from their faucets," steady supply of water even for agricultural, commer-
Rornlaldez, president of the Lal<as-Chdstiarl Muslidn cial and industrial use," Pancho explained.
Democrats (CMD), said. The Bulacan solon noted that construcdnS mini
- "The mean amual rairrfall of the Philippines varies damsisnol too costly for government since the projeci
from 9.65 to 4,0& millimeters aimually, Iti6 time thatwe t oily involves st4ges ofwaling o{ eisting inftestructure
study the possibility ofrainwater harvestin€ as a source and leveling and deepening of riverbed.
of drinking water {or our cities and murlicipalities," he fdomualdez bited the experience of Singapore where
added. rainwateris collected ttEongh a comprehersive network
Meanwhjle, the idea of constru.tingmini^dams was . of drains, canals and rivers arrd ch4lneled to fte reser-
proposed to Ro m ualdez by Bul acan Rep.Cavini "Apol" voir" before it js treated {or drinling water.
Pancho on the sidelines of Monday'" pre-SONA eco- Thi5 makes Singapore, he said, oire of the few coun-
nomic ard infrastructure forum at ihe reception hall of tries in the world tohawesturban storm water on a large
the PICC Reception Hall in Pasay City. scale for potable consumption.

Pagcu