Straight Talk by Nimfa Estrellado November 16, 2019 I refuse to believe that Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) do not k...
by Nimfa Estrellado
November 16, 2019
I refuse to believe that Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) do not know their jobs and that it takes Duterte who's not a water expert to solve their problems, who can’t even solve traffic, rice and drug crisis! Is this just a manufactured water shortage to make the Chinese happy? The government had failed countless times from the start that causes inflation; Endo Bill vetoed, Pasig River rehab to be halted, Rice Tariffication Law, Palays sold for 9 pesos, ASF, Marcos cases dismissed. Now they want Duterte to solve the May-June water crisis (NCR, IV-A). MWSS are you out of your mind? The politicians and government cannot and will not do anything to solve the water crisis. It's a shame that Metro Manila, the National Capital Region (NCR), the seat of government and one of the three defined metropolitan areas of the Philippines, is lacking of adequate clean water supply.
So, because of the inevitable water shortage in the years to come, Manila Water plans to tap the Marikina River as an additional source of water supply. The MWSS also keeps on pointing the need for the Kaliwa Dam project in Quezon Province and wants the Laguna Lake to be declared as “a vital source of water”.
MWSS Administrator Emmanuel Salamat, what a shame!
How about the Pasig River? President Rodrigo "Rody" Roa Duterte said it's clean already?
Or the Manila Bay? According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program is in full swing, with a probability that the once polluted body of water would be safe for swimming activities by the end of the year.
DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, have you not heard as one of the solutions to the Metro Manila water crisis is desalination and rainwater catchment? Build a desalination plant to provide clean water. Rainwater catchment, on the other hand is the solution for Metro Manila on flood problems. Right in front of Metro Manila is the almost limitless source of water, Manila Bay.
I agree to keep rivers and estuaries clean. These bodies of water are also the sources of pollution that leak out to Manila Bay. They've already built water purification for esteros that drain into the bay, but rehab has to attack the source of pollution.
Besides, Metro Manila was once a water world reclaimed only by our many rivers, creeks, and waterways through sedimentation. Since you killed these, the water is more than eager to take back the land.
I am still against the controversial Kaliwa, Kanan and Laiban Dam (New Centennial Water Source projects) encroaching ancestral lands. These mega-dams, part of Duterte's Build Build Build project, or infra projects affecting Indigenous People (IP) territories. Build Build Build program? Sounds like Money Money Money program to me.
This will not only destroy Dumagat livelihood but the biodiversity of the Sierra Madre as well. CALABARZON provinces and cities may have enough potable water supply at the moment but these mega-dams will not only cause water rate hikes but also pose serious environmental risks in the future! So MWSS don't touch our bodies of water ever!
This is a wrong project; just a waste of money and other resources. We are currently experiencing water scarcity, water stress and drought in most of the world is partly due to building the wrong dams.
It’s always easy to be a critic. We all need to do our part. Let’s independent ourselves first from their struggles and problems. Tiny drop water makes an ocean and let’s not forget that just a drop can pollute the entire ocean. Let’s fight for ourselves if our government has “abandoned” us. Springs, rivers and other bodies of water are our sources of water. Let us come together as volunteers to clean up our beautiful local river. Let us not pollute the environment.
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