THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it will offer 135 water projects to private investors by next year.
Speaking at a forum organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute on Wednesday, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said that the DENR is hoping that the projects “increase the number of persons with access to drinking water and generate inexpensive hydropower.”
She said the projects will be structured to channel some of the resulting government revenue into watershed protection projects.
Separately, Undersecretary Carlos Primo C. David said that the 135 water projects involve water rights held by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
“Most of our water is being used by a single sector… agriculture. More than 70% of the water for the entire country is allocated for agriculture through irrigation,” Mr. David added.
“We do not irrigate (the whole year); during the rainy season there is no use for irrigation because all the farms are rain fed,” he added.
He added that some farmland has been converted by residential developers, “and yet our water is still locked in agriculture or irrigation use.”
In October, the DENR and the NIA signed a memorandum of agreement to repurpose surplus irrigation water.
“What this means is that any excess water in irrigation structures, (like) dams and impoundments, can now be utilized for other beneficial uses,” he said.
The NIA has said that the surplus water may now be used for power production, bulk water supply, aquaculture, recreation, and tourism.
Executive Order No. 22 established the Water Resources Management Office under the DENR. It was tasked with undertaking the “integration and harmonization” of all government agencies and activities to ensure available water and sustainable management.
Mr. David added that the volume of the 135 water rights to be offered amount to 12,000 cubic meters per second.
He said that without private sector involvement “(we cannot use) these natural asset for economic development.”
He added that the NIA will be in charge of assigning the water rights to the private investors. — Adrian H. Halili