Video by: Jessica Miraña
The Water Code of the Philippines sought to revise and consolidate the laws governing ownership, appropriation, utilization, exploitation, development, conservation and protection of water resources. Its objectives (Article 2) include, among others, to define the extent of the rights and obligations of water users and owners including the protection and regulation of such rights; to adopt a basic law governing the ownership, appropriation, utilization, exploitation, development, conservation and protection of water resources and rights to land; and to identify the administrative agencies which will enforce this Code.
The nature of water rights may be drawn from the five “underlying principles” enumerated in Article 3:
a) all waters belong to the State;
b) all waters that belong to the State cannot be the subject of acquisitive prescription;
c) the State may allow the use or development of waters by administrative concession;
d) the utilization, exploitation, development, conservation and protection of water resources shall be subject to the control and regulation of the government through the National Water Resources Council (NWRC);
e) preference in the use and development of waters shall consider current usage and be responsive to the changing needs of the country.
At present, there are numerous government agencies involved in water governance in the Philippines regulating aspects such as watershed protection, water quality management, water utilities, etc. However, it is the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), formerly known as the National Water Resources Council (NWRC), which is the primary government agency tasked with the overall management of the water resources in the Philippines. Its functions and responsibilities are three-fold: policy formulation and coordination of programs and standards relating to the water sector; management and regulation of all water-related activities; and finally, regulation and monitoring of water utilities. As the regulator of water resources, the NWRB performs the following functions:
· Issue/suspend/revoke/approve transfer of water permits for the appropriation and use of waters;
· Declare waters not previously appropriated exempt from appropriation;
· Promulgate rules and declare the existence of control areas for the coordinated development, protection, and utilization of ground and surface waters;
· Establish minimum stream flows for rivers and streams and minimum water levels for lakes as may be necessary for the protection of the environment, control of pollution, navigation, prevention of salt damage, and general public use;
· Issue permits for development of streams, lakes or springs for recreational purposes;
· Issue permits for drilling of wells;
· Issue rules and regulations for reservoir operations;
· Approve transfer of water from one river basin to another;
· Coordinate data collection, research and manpower development;
· Impose penalties for administrative violations;
· Impose and collect reasonable fees or charges for water resource development;
· Approve rules and regulations prescribed by other government agencies pertaining to the utilization, exploitation, development, control, conservation or protection of water resources;
· Adjudicate all disputes relating to appropriation, utilization, exploitation, development, control, conservation and protection of water
In carrying out its functions, the NWRB has deputized agents which perform tasks related to hydraulic and meteorologic data; flooding areas and inland waterways; lakes and marshes; watersheds; water supply and sewerage; and, water accounting within watersheds. Among the deputized agents are the district engineering offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways; the Provincial Engineering Offices of the National Irrigation Administration; the regional managers of the National Power Corporation; and general managers of water districts.
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TITLE II
WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT
WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Section 14. Purpose. It is the purpose of this Title to prescribe management guidelines aimed to protect and improve the quality of Philippine water resources through:
(a) classification of Philippine waters;
(b) establishment of water quality standards;
(c) protection and improvement of the quality of the Philippine water resources, and
(d) responsibilities for surveillance and mitigation of pollution incidents.
Chapter I
Classification and Standards
Classification and Standards
Section 15. Classification of Philippine Waters. The National Pollution Control Commission, in coordination with appropriate government agencies, shall classify Philippine waters, according to their best usage. In classifying said waters, the National Pollution Control Commission shall take into account, among others, the following:
(a) the existing quality of the body of water at the time of classification;
(b) the size, depth, surface area covered, volume, direction, rate of flow, gradient of stream; and
(c) the most beneficial uses of said bodies of water and lands bordering them for residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial, navigational, recreational, and aesthetic purposes.
Section 16. Reclassification of Waters Based on Intended Beneficial Use. Where the public interest so requires, the National Pollution Control Commission, in coordination with appropriate government agencies, shall reclassify a body of water based on the intended beneficial use and take such steps as may be necessary to upgrade the quality of said water. Other government agencies may adopt higher standards for a particular body of water, subject to the approval of the National Pollution Control Commission.
Section 17. Upgrading of Water Quality. Where the quality of water has deteriorated to a degree where its state will adversely affect its best usage, the government agencies concerned shall take such measures as may be necessary to upgrade the quality of such water to meet the prescribed water quality standards.
Section 18. Water Quality Standards. The National Pollution Control Commission shall prescribe quality and effluent standards consistent with the guidelines set by the National Environmental Protection Council and the classification of waters prescribed in the preceding sections, taking into consideration, among others, the following:
(a) the standard of water quality or purity may vary according to beneficial uses; and
(b) the technology relating to water pollution control.
Chapter II
Protection and Improvement of Water Quality
Protection and Improvement of Water Quality
Section 19. Enforcement and Coordination. The production, utilization, storage and distribution of hazardous, toxic and other substances such as radioactive materials, heavy metals, pesticides, fertilizers, and oils, and the disposal, discharge and dumping of untreated wastewater, mine tailings and other substances that may pollute any body of water of the Philippines resulting from normal operations of industries, water-borne sources, and other human activities as well as those resulting from accidental spills and discharge shall be regulated by appropriate government agencies pursuant to their respective charters and enabling legislations. In the performance of the above functions, the government agencies concern shall coordinate with the National Environmental Protection Council and furnish the latter with such information as may be necessary to enable it to attain its objectives under Presidential Decree No. 1121.
Section 20. Clean-up Operations. It shall be the responsibility of the polluter to contain, remove and clean up water pollution incidents at his own expense. In case of his failure to do so, the government agencies concerned shall undertake containment, removal and clean-up operations and expenses incurred in said operations shall be charged against the persons and/or entities responsible for such pollution.
Section 21. Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance. The various government agencies concerned with environmental protection shall establish to the greatest extent practicable a water quality surveillance and monitoring network with sufficient stations and sampling schedules to meet the needs of the country. Said water quality surveillance network shall put to maximum use the capabilities of such government agencies. Each agency involved in such network shall report to the National Environmental Protection Council the results of these monitoring activities as the need arises.
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Water is one of the most important commodities which man can be exploited than any other resource for the substance of his life. Water is continuously purified by evaporation and precipitation yet pollution of water has emerged as one of the significant environmental problem in the in the recent time. Pollution can not be eliminated from the earth as long as even a single person survives on the earth, since the very existence of a man is the cause of pollution.
Water pollution has been a problem ever since the oldest civilizations. It also relates in growing demands lead to rise of industries, which in turn leads to improper disposal of wastes into the water bodies. Water pollutant can be define as a physical, chemical, and biological factor causing aesthetic or detrimental effects on aquatic life and those who consumed the water.
There are several causes of water pollution - organic, inorganic as well as municipal, industrial and agricultural. Organic pollution comes from natural phenomenon. i.e. iron poisoning from runoff from an iron deposit. Arsenic is a naturally occurring poison. Salt can poison a stream. Inorganic pollution comes from man-made toxins. Pesticides, chemical compounds not found in nature, manufactured poisons.
These are the common organic and inorganic pollutants:
Organic water pollutants:
· Food processing waste, including pathogens
· Insecticides and herbicides, a huge range of organohalide and other chemicals
· Tree and brush debris from logging operations
· Bacteria from sewage or livestock operations
· Petroleum hydrocarbons like diesel, gasoline, jet fuels, fuel oils, motor oils
· Volatile organic compounds like industrial solvents
Inorganic water pollutants:
· Pre-production industrial raw resin pellets
· Heavy metals including acid mine drainage
· Chemical waste as industrial by-products
· Acidity due to industrial discharges like sulfur dioxide
· Silt in surface runoff due to logging, slash and burn practices, construction sites or land clearing sites
· Fertilizers in runoff from agriculture including nitrates and phosphates
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Clean, uncontaminated water is essential for life and health. Furthermore, lack of basic sanitation, including the inability to property treat waste-water, has immediate and dire health consequences. Consumption of polluted water can result in outbreaks of water borne disease as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other gastrointestinal disease.
Diarrheal disease in children is a common clinical illness in practice. It is a largely self-limited disease with many etiologies. It is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children in developing countries.
Here in the Philippines, there are some environment current issues, like uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed area that’s why a little amount of rainfall would cause flood. Floods would cause water pollution in major urban center leading to a high incidence of waterborne disease such as diarrhea, typhoid, gastroenteritis, leptospirosis, malaria and dengue fever.
Hepatitis A and E – Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Different viruses such as hepatitis A, B, C, D and E cause the disease. Both Hepatitis A and E (HAV and HEV) are waterborne diseases. Consumption of water or food contaminated by the stool of an HAV or HEV infected person causes hepatitis. Poor sanitation and poor personal hygiene are risk factors for infection. Jaundice or yellowing of the skin, eyes, urine, is the characteristic of hepatitis. Both these are self-limiting viral infections. Vaccine is available for hepatitis A to protect you from the disease. There is no vaccine for hepatitis E infection.
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| Malaria Carrier |
Dengue fever - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases.
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| Cause of the Leptospirosis |
Cholera - An acute bacterial disease transmitted through food or water contaminated with human faeces. The intestinal infection is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera.
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| Cycle of the Schistosomiasis |
Staying Away From Water-Borne Diseases
· Use safe drinking water. Boiling water is the best way to remove germs. Filters provide safe water
· Wash your hands often with soap and water. Wash before and after eating food, before handling food and after going to the toilet
· Wash raw vegetables and fruits in running water before eating
· Avoid eating raw foods such as fruits, salads or chats from roadside stalls, especially during monsoon
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With its thousands of islands, the Philippines have one of the longest coastlines in the world. The country depends heavily on its rich coastal and marine resources for the many economic, employment, and biodiversity values and services they provide.
Philippine waters contain some of the world’s richest ecosystems, characterized by extensive coral reefs, sea-grass beds, and dense mangrove forests. Blessed with a sunny tropical climate, waters enriched with nutrients from the land, and driven by the wind, the country supports an exceptionally high diversity of marine life.
Aquatic resources have been a most important part in the daily lives of Filipinos, who are heavily dependent on both freshwater and seawater resources. Aquatic ecosystems, especially the marine and coastal areas, provide many essential environmental functions, including the recycling of nutrients, as habitat for many organisms, and as recreation as well as livelihood for people. Vast coastal waters seem to reduce the significance of the country’s lakes, rivers and reservoirs; yet these freshwater resources provide domestic and industrial water supplies, irrigation for agriculture, fish supply for landlocked communities, and transportation.
Fishing is major sources of livelihood in rural households in the Philippines. However, these have also wrought unwanted consequences on the environment, notably soil erosion, water pollution, groundwater depletion, loss of natural habitats, and loss of biological diversity.
These are :
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| Box 1.1 Describes The Marine Aquarium Fishery And Trade In The Philippines. |
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| Box 1.2 The Hunting And Collection Of Eggs From Marine Turtle. |
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| Box 1.3 The Huge Potential Source Of Wave Energy From The Ocean. |
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| Box 1.4 The Environmental Waste Disposal Services That Marine Waters Offer. |
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Source: http://earthtrends.wri.org
By: Eliza San Pedro
By: Daphne Frisca C. Carmona
Mr. James Kho and Ms. Eunice Agsaoay-Saño conducted a study on our country entitled “Country Study on Customary Water Laws And Practices: Philippines”. Mr. Kho is currently the Senior Policy Advisor of the Philippine Environmental Governance Project of USAID; Ms. Agsaoay-Saño is counsel for WWF-Philippines.
“The Philippines is comprised of 7,110 islands with a land area of about 300,000 square kilometers. The country has a total of 96,000 square kilometers of agricultural land which is about 32% of the total land area. These lands are utilized for plantation of palay, corn, fruit, trees, root crops, vegetables, coconut, sugar cane and others.
July, 2004 census of Philippine population is 86.2 million and projected to reach 100 million in 14 years. The current population growth rate is 2.71% or 3 persons born per minute. Existing settlement patterns show that 48.05% of the population live in urban areas while the rest in rural areas.There are about 85,000 manufacturing industries in the Philippines, with Metro Manila as the prime industrial region. Accounting for about 52% of the total manufacturing establishments. These establishments are classified into thirty (30) major industrial groups. Food manufacturing constitutes the biggest number of manufacturing establishments in the country.
With the rapid increase in population, urbanization, and industrialization reduce the quality of Philippine waters, especially in densely populated areas and regions of industrial and agricultural activities. The discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater and agricultural runoff has caused extensive pollution of the receiving water-bodies. This effluent is in the form of raw sewage, detergents, fertilizer, heavy metals, chemical products, oils, and even solid waste. Each of these pollutants has a different noxious effect that influences human livelihood and translates into economic costs.
By: Eliza San Pedro“The adverse impact of water pollution costs the economy an estimated Php67 Billion annually (more than US$1.3 Billion). The government continues its fight against worsening water pollution by espousing and including among its priorities, environment policies, legislation, and decrees that address the growing need to control water pollution. In the last few years, the government has employed economic instruments such as pollution fines and environmental taxes.”
Access to clean and adequate water remains an acute seasonal problem in urban and coastal areas in the Philippines. The National Capital Region (Metro Manila), Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and Central Visayas are the four urban critical regions in terms of water quality and quantity. The Government’s monitoring data indicates:o Just over a third or 36 percent of the country’s river systems are classified as sources of public water supply:
o Up to 58 percent of groundwater sampled is contaminated with coliform and needs treatment;
o Approximately 31 percent of illness monitored for a five-year period were caused by water-borne sources; ando Many areas are experiencing a shortage of water supply during the dry season.
Nearly 2.2 million metric tons of of organic pollution are produced annually by domestic (48 percent), agricultural (37 percent), and industrial (15 percent) sectors. In the four water-critical regions, water pollution is dominated by domestic and industrial sources. Untreated wastewater affects health by spreading disease-causing bacteria and viruses, makes water unfit for drinking and recreational use, threatens biodiversity, and deteriorates overall quality of life. Known diseases caused by poor water include gastro-enteritis, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, and more recently, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The number of water-related health outbreaks including deaths reported in newspapers is going up. However, awareness regarding the need for improved sanitation and water pollution control, reflected by the willingness-to-pay and connection to a sewerage system where they are easily available, is very low.
The annual economic losses caused by water pollution are estimated at Php67 Billion (US$1.3 billion). These include Php3 billion for health, Php17 billion for fisheries production, and Php47 for tourism. Losses due to environmental damage in pollution, the Philippines has many water-related laws, but their enforcement is weak and beset with problems that include: inadequate resources, poor database, and weak cooperation among different agencies and Local Government Units (LGUs). A Clean Water Act is now being deliberated in the Congress.
There is considerable under-investment by the Government in sanitation and sewerage, indicating a low spending priority, though ranked as a high priority in the Philippines Agenda 21 of 1996. Only seven percent of the country’s total population is connected to sewer systems and only a few households have acceptable effluent from on-site sanitation facilities. Estimates show that over a 10-year period, the country will need to invest Php250 billion (nearly US$ billion) in physical infrastructure. While LGUs recognize emerging water quality problems, they are constrained by high investment and operating costs, limited willingness-to-pay, restricted space available in the low-income urban areas where sewage is disposed of indiscriminately. Some of the Government budget, which is directed mostly towards water supply (97 percent of the total), needs to be diverted to sewerage and sanitation. Individuals are not yet aware and willing to pay for these services and Government incentives are justified in the short-term for the larger community-wide benefits.
Related Presentation:Programmes of MWSS and Concessionaries on Sewerage and Sanitation
Water Resources
The country is endowed with rich natural resources, including water, which are essential for the country’s economic development and in meeting its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Water resources of the Philippines include inland freshwater (rivers, lakes, and groundwater), and marine (bay, coastal, and oceanic waters). Overall, there is sufficient water but not enough in highly populated areas, especially during dry season.
Source: Philippines: Environment Monitor 2003”
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