The current legal frameworks and water allocation systems in the Philippines may not be sufficient to cope with the current water availability, as the nation has continued to be under water stress since 2007.
In a legal study presented at the Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P), Atty. Rebyanne Giselle Diaz, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) Water Rights Division Section Head, discussed the beneficial use and conservation of water resources under the Philippine Water Law Regime.
During her discussion, Atty. Diaz emphasized the need for a more adaptable law, to meet society’s changing needs. According to NWRB, the country’s current water availability ranges between 1,000 to 1,700 cubic meters per capita. The projected decline in water availability threatens possible developmental changes within the country.
Diaz also argued that the current system discourages water conservation by requiring consumers to use the whole allocation or risk losing their water rights. However, she said that it not only discourages effective water usage but also limits innovation in water management.
As water remains to be a vital need for national development, Atty. Diaz suggests that the government intervene in improving the management of the water systems. She added that the main challenge for the policymakers is to adapt to the timely needs of the country.
“There is a need for a Water Code based on rational concepts or integrated and multipurpose management of water resources and sufficiently flexible to adequately meet future developments,” Atty. Diaz said.
“A more proactive agency mandate will enable a more dynamic exercise of state ownership over all water resources,” Atty. Diaz concluded
