MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has filed a resolution calling on two committees in the House of Representatives to look into why a 34-year-old law has not been fully implemented when this could have helped prevent repeated threats posed by the El Niño weather phenomenon in the country.
House Resolution 906, authored by Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr., seeks an inquiry into the non-implementation of the Rainwater Collection and Springs Development Law of 1989 or Republic Act 6716, which requires the construction of rainwater collectors in all barangays.
“We want Congress to get to the bottom of this so that we can take remedial action, considering that stockpiling rainwater offers a practical way for communities to augment supplies during the dry season, while mitigating potential flooding during the wet season,” he said.
Campos wants two House committees – public works and highways and ecology – to conduct the joint inquiry.
He also said he is counting on the new Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) to give the highest priority to the installation of rainwater collectors throughout the country.
President Marcos in February approved the creation of the WRMO as part of the government’s efforts to address what he called a “water crisis” threatening the country.
Last month, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration warned of an approaching El Niño that has a 55 percent chance of developing in the third quarter of the year and may persist until 2024.