Gov’t pours P1.7B into water projects nationwide

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P1.73 billion ($39.73 million*) to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the implementation of water supply projects nationwide.

The fund release was charged against the DPWH’s budget for water supply and sanitation for poverty areas and tourism priority sites under the 2014 General Appropriation’s Act.

The Tourism Water Supply Infrastructure program, a convergence project between DPWH and the Department of Tourism (DOT), was also designed to spur tourism and economic activity in identified priority development sites.

Leading the list of priority implementation areas are the cities of San Carlos in Negros Occidental and Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte, which have both been allotted P138.6 million ($3.18 million), respectively.

“We continue to pursue priority investments in developing our tourist destinations. Providing better access to safe and clean water facilities is one of these priorities,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said Tuesday, July 8.

The identification and list of priority areas were prepared by the DPWH, DOT, the National Anti-Poverty Commission, and the Local Water Utilities Administration.

“Through the joint efforts of these agencies, the government has identified various in-need locations nationwide which have been waterless for years now. As poor as these communities have been, however, we understand their potential for growth, especially through local tourism,” Abad cited.

Providing proper and sustainable water supplies and sanitation facilities would be crucial in enriching tourism growth and development in these locations, Abad said.

“This in turn would further promote a more vibrant, beneficial, and lucrative economic environment for these local communities,” Abad said. – Rappler.com



*($1 = 43.54)