Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos called on the government to hasten the construction of water flagship projects, including Kaliwa and Laiban dams, to put an end to the water supply crisis gripping several areas in Metro Manila.
She also said the government should allow more concessionaires in to improve the delivery of water to consumers.
鈥淪trengthen the government鈥檚 management of water resources, supply and delivery,鈥� Marcos said.
鈥淧rivatization should serve the greater number of our people not a few corporations,鈥� she added.
Kaliwa and Laiban dams, started during the Marcos regime, have been put in the back burner for no reason at all, Marcos said.
鈥淚t has been too long since these were put on the government鈥檚 development agenda during the Marcos administration,鈥� she said.
MWSS admission
The administration senatorial candidate noted that no less than the chief regulator of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) attributed the water shortage to the failure to build alternative water sources that had been proposed as early as the Marcos regime.
Laiban Dam and the smaller 600-million-liters-per day Kaliwa Dam were shelved during past administrations.
鈥淚t is only the Duterte administration that has put in serious effort to push for our much-delayed and much-needed water projects,鈥� she said.
Marcos expressed strong support for the Duterte administration鈥檚 efforts to revive the two dam projects and for obstacles to be resolved immediately.
鈥淭he administration should go full steam ahead in bringing Kaliwa and Laiban dams to full operation to ensure sufficient water supply,鈥� she said. 鈥擬arlon Ramos