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@ rvronday, Iune 24-2.OL9
House oversightpanelseeks to find
solutions to water shortage
BY Jo\.EE MARrE N. DELA CRUZ
J gloveenarie
HE leadership of t}le House
of Representatives will open
on Tuesday an oversight hear-
ing to look into the impending water
shortage as Angat Dam in Bulacan
reaches critical level. . Angat Dam.
Last week Speaker Gloria Maca-
pagal-Arroyo called for an oversight
hearing on the water shortage on
Tuesday, b efore new members of the
House of Representatives begin their
termofoffice. ,'
Invited to the hearin:g are of,
ficials from the Metropolitan Wa-
terworks and Sewerage Systems
(MWSS). NationalWaterResorrrres
Bureau, Local Water Utilities Ad-
ministration (LWUA), National_lr-
rigat ion Authorit y, Departments of
Agriculture, Budget and Manage-
ment, Environment and Natural
Resources and Public Works and
Highways, the National Economic
aird Development Authority and
waterconcessionai res Manila Wat er
Co. Inc. (MWCI), and the Maynilad
Water Services Inc. (MWSD.
LWUA Acting Ad m inistrator
Jeci Lapus said the agency is now
seeking for soluL ions for the Angat
waterproblem, as wellas long-term
measures to prevent a water crisis
from happening.
Arroyo saidtheproposedcreation
ofa Department of Water will be in-
cluded in the agenda, which will be
evaluated by the committee for the
next Congress to act upon.
Last March, at the height of the
,
water crisis in the east side of Metro
Administration (Pagasa), and other
Manila, the lower chamber also con-
concerned government agencies.
ducted an oversight hearing to help
During the meeting, Pagasa
find solutions to the problem. As a
said that while it had declared the
result, Maynilad agreed to open five
start ofthe rainy season last week,
of its surplus valves with Manila Wa-
the amount of rainfall is still not
ter to supply 50 million liteis ofwater
enough to boost the waterlevel of
perday (MLD) to ease the burden of
the estimated 1.2 millionhouseholds
Meanr,"hile, the Philippine Red
in the area.
Cross (PRC) assured its readiness
to.supply water to critical establish-
Exenpted ments that could be affected by the
THE Metropolitan Ma nila Develop-
ment Authority said over tbe week
i impending water shortage in Metro
end that trucks of MWSI and MWCI
Manila as the water level in Angat
Dam nears critical levei .
are still exempted from the number-
PRC Chairman Richard Gordon
coding scheme to facilitate the de-
gave orders to prepare PRC's fleet of
1ivery of water supplies to different
water tankers'and water treatment
areas experiencinq water shortase.
equipment.
"We have a st anl ing ordei"trttoi
If the water level in Angat Dam
_rizing tankers bringing water toaf dipd further. PRC willpriori.ize hos-
Iected areas, with no rest ri< tions on
_ number coding," said Danilo
pitals to ensure thathealth-care ser-
Lim.
vices will not be interrupted and to
As the water level ofAngat Dam
avoid health complications, such as
continues to drop, the Metro Ma-
sepsis, d iarrhea, a nd other hygiene-
nila Disaster Risk Reduction and
related diseases.
ManagementCouncil(MMDRRMC),
Duringthe firstwave of watercri_
chaired by Lim, concerned govern
sis last MarchtoApril, pRC was able
ment agencies and water conces
to supply 1,435,475 liters of clean
sionaires, haddiscussedcontingency
and safe water to hospitals such as
measures on how to prepare for a
National Kidney and Transplant In-
worsen ing water shortage Iast week.
"The public, especially those stitute, EastAv€nue Medical Center,
Rizal Medical Center, National Cen-
located in vulnerable areas, must
ter for Mental Health and euirino
know what Lo expect with the wa-
Memorial Medical Center.
ter Ievel ofAngat Da m now at criti-
PRC also served affected com-
cal level," said Lim during a special
munities, Barangay Old Balara and
MMDRRMC meeting.
Barangay Culiat in Quezdn City;
The meetingwas attendedbyoffi-
Barangay Nangka and Barangay
cials of MWSS andwater (oncession-
Tumana ia Marikina; and Barangay
aires, Philippine Atmospheric, Ceo-
Add ition Hills in Mandaluyong.
physical and Astronomical Services
Wi, dnpottftonildulethth.oq-|ji ioco
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