Highlighting the importance of water resources to food security and overall development, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. spelled out on Monday several measures being undertaken by the administration to ensure sufficient water supply in the country.

“Ang tubig ay kasing-halaga rin ng pagkain. Kailangan nating tiyakin na may sapat at malinis na tubig para sa lahat at sa mga susunod na salinlahi. Kasama na rito ang tubig na ginagamit natin para sa mga sakahan,” President Marcos said during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa.

“Considering its fundamental importance, water security deserves *a* special focus. Our efforts must not be scattershot, but rather, cohesive, centralized, and systematic.” he said.

Given that urgency, the President said his government has created the Water Resources Management Office to specifically handle the delicate job involving water resources.

The administration, he said, is also working with Congress for the passage of the Department of Water Resource Management.

And for this year, the government has allocated P14.6 billion for water supply projects, which will benefit communities all over the country.

“Recently, the water supply of NCR and Rizal received a significant boost from the first phase of the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project. The water supply will increase as the Project enters the second phase,” he said.

“We have installed six thousand rainwater collection systems across the country, in preparation for the looming dry spell brought about by El Niño.”

With the predicted dry spell, he said the government has prepared buffer stocks and water equipment. It is also ready to conduct cloud-seeding operations if necessary to induce rain.

Marcos called on the public to do the necessary preparation and conservation efforts in response to the looming El Niño phenomenon. PND