President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday issued an executive order to establish the Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The WRMO's primary objective is to integrate and coordinate the government's efforts in ensuring the sustainable management and availability of water resources in the country.
Executive Order No. 22 mandates the WRMO to promptly implement the Integrated Water Resources Management aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and formulate the corresponding Water Resources Master Plan.
It aims to address the challenges posed by the rising demand for water due to population and economic growth, climate change, pandemic impacts, and inadequate infrastructure leading to the uneven distribution of water resources.
"To avert water crisis, minimize and avoid conflicts, and consistent with the State’s sole ownership and control over the country’s water resources, it is imperative for the Government to integrate and harmonize the policies, programs, and projects of all relevant agencies in the water resource sector in the fulfillment of their complementary governmental mandates," it read.
The WRMO is also tasked to champion and shepherd the passage of a law creating a proposed Department of Water and/or a regulatory commission on water, along with generating and maintaining credible water and sanitation data to aid evidence-based policymaking, planning, and implementation.
The President will appoint an Undersecretary to head the WRMO upon the recommendation of the DENR secretary.
