Metro Manila, Philippines– President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. pushed for a comprehensive reorganization of water management through the establishment of a Department of Water Resources.

“The original idea was to restructure the entire water management process in the Philippines. But due to the pressing demands of climate change, we need to focus our efforts on water,” said Marcos during the 6th Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council full meeting at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday.

Marcos said a sole agency handling water-related issues would be a better idea than having different entities.

He said he would rather prepare an executive version of the Department of Water Resources bill, which will serve as the basis for Senate debates.

The president proposed that the responsibility for flood control be assigned to the new department, with the National Irrigation Authority as a key coordinating agency.

“A mayor will only focus on the municipality, but water doesn’t recognize boundaries. It will flow wherever it can,” Marcos said with emphasis on addressing water-related issues such as flooding and irrigation that require a unified approach rather than isolated solutions.

“That’s why we need an overall plan. All relevant agencies must be involved,” he added.

Marcos repeatedly called for the creation of the Department of Water Resources in his State of the Nation Address.

He said the new department will be tasked to implement policy and resource reforms concerning the management of all water resources including irrigation, sewage and sanitation.

“Considering its fundamental importance, water security deserves our special focus. Our efforts must not be scattershot, but rather, cohesive, centralized, and systematic,” said Marcos in his 2023 SONA.

NewsWatch Plus Senior Correspondent Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report