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Republic af the Philippines 8 oye
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS.
Second Regular Session

House BILL No. 6791

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘According to the World Health Organization in 2015, the Philippines has made good
progress towards its Millennium Development Goal for water and sanitation’. With
universal access as the theme for the country’s main policies in this issue, the
Department of Health is working on its roadmap to reach its target of providing the
needed proper sanitation facilities*. However, 9 million still lack access to safe and
sustainable water®.

Lack of sanitation and potable water are often associated with water-related illnesses
and, eventually, death’. It has been recognized as the world's “second biggest killer
of children’® and will continue to be so if not addressed. The State recognizes that
the need for a safe and clean water is a basic right and aims to act on this through
the below legislation.

This bill intends to address this issue by providing for an accelerated program for the
construction of a potable water supply system in every barangay in the country. This
would allow barangays access to safe drinking water fast and prioritize areas with
social and health problems from water-borne diseases. This proposed 3-year
program aims to put a timed pressure on the construction of the systems in order to
provide faster and efficient service delivery.

The approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

* hetp:/swww.who int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/invedtments/pl
2 Ibid \

3 https //water.org/our-impactphil
* butps://www. rappler.com/move-ph/issues/hunger/61480-aeys
* Ibid

ppines-01-jul-16 paua1

-water-sanitation-philippines


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
TO PROMOTE RURAL HEALTH BY PROVIDING FOR AN ACCELERATED
PROGRAM FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A POTABLE WATER SUPPLY
SYSTEM IN EVERY BARANGAY IN THE COUNTRY WITHIN THREE YEARS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
promote the quality of health of every Filipino through the provision of adequate
social service including, but not limited to, the provision of an adequate potable water
supply system to minimize the exposure of water bome diseases.

SECTION 2. Legal Agency. - The Department of Social Welfare and Development
in cooperation with the Department of Health and Department of Public Works and
Highways shall undertake a three-year program for the construction of potable water
supply system in every barangay throughout the country. The program shall give
priority to areas with social and health problems brought about by water-borne
diseases taking into consideration population, area served, project cost and other
economic, social and environmental factors as may be deemed necessary in
undertaking the program within the context of the national development plans. The
lead agencies concemed, in consultation with the provincial and municipal
development councils, shall determine the areas that shall be given priority.


SECTION 3. Program Guidelines. — The lead agencies concerned shall observe
the following priorities and guidelines in the planning, construction and management
of the potable water supply project:

a) Funds provided for in this act shall be used only for the construction of the
new potable water supply system;

b) Priority shall be given to the construction of communal water supply;

c) The potable water supply projects must be equitably distributed among the
provinces and municipalities, giving priority to those provinces and
municipalities having inadequate supply of potable water;

d) The local government unit concerned shall participate in the project in the
project planning, identification, design, management of all project funds,
construction and monitoring;

e) The potable water supply system shall be managed and maintained by the
local government unit concemed;

f) The provincial officers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development,
Department of Health, and Department of Public Works and Highways, shall
be responsible in the preparation of feasibility studies and design of
communal water supply project.

SECTION 4. Appropriation. - The sum of Fifty Million Pesos (Php 50,000,000.00) is
hereby appropriated for the initial implementation of the provision of this Act.
Thereafter, the succeeding appropriation for its continued implementation shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act until the program hall have been
completed.

SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - \f any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other
provisions hereof.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.


SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,