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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Honorable Michael L. Romero 
________________________________________________________________________ 
    EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) is an agency of the Government 
of the Philippines working on water resources and potable water. It has policy-
making, regulatory and quasi-judicial functions. 
The NWRB is responsible for ensuring the exploitation, utilization, development, 
conservation and protection of the country's water resource, consistent with the 
principles of "Integrated Water Resource Management". 
It is now high time for the government to prioritize water works and services in 
the national program, and consider water as an integral factor in nation building. 
This House Bill seeks to create the Department of Water Resources and Services, 
the government entity that shall lead the implementation of policies on the 
promotion and development of water works and water services programs in the 
country. 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO Ph.D. 
July 1, 2022 
11:32 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Honorable Michael L. Romero 
________________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER 
RESOURCES AND SERVICES, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1: SHORT TITLE – This Ac shall be known as the “Department 
of Water Resources and Services Act of 2022”. 
SECTION 2: DECLARATION OF POLICY – It is the policy of the State to 
ensure the utilization, development, conservation and protection of the 
country's water resources, consistent with the principles of "Integrated 
Water Resource Management". 
The State recognizes the importance of water resources and services 
to foster social progress, and promote total human development.  
The State recognizes the need to promote water resources and 
services for the welfare of all Filipinos and the entire country. 
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Toward this end, it is imperative to establish a single, integrated and 
unified department for the promotion and development of our national 
water resources and services. 
SECTION 
3: 
CREATION 
OF 
THE 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
WATER 
RESOURCES AND SERVICES – There shall hereby be created the 
Department of Water Resources and Services, hereinafter referred to as the 
Department. 
SECTION 4: MANDATE – The Department shall be the primary policy, 
planning, coordinating, implementing, and administrative entity of the 
Executive Branch of the government that will plan, develop, and promote 
the national water resources and services development program.  
SECTION 5: POWERS AND FUNCTIONS – The Department shall exercise 
the following powers and functions: 
I. Policy and Planning 
(a) Formulate, recommend and implement national policies, 
plans, programs and guidelines that will promote the 
development and harness the potential of our water resources 
and services with due consideration for the country’s welfare 
and success; 
(b) Formulate policies and initiatives, in regards with the 
Integrated 
Water 
Resource 
Management 
Program, 
in 
collaboration with the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources; 
(c) Provide an integrated framework and programs in order to 
optimize the potential of our water resources and services; 
 (d) Prescribe rules and regulations for the establishment, 
operation and maintenance of Philippine water resources and 
services Infrastructures; and 
(e) Establish water resources, services and facilities that will 
be accessible to the general public; 
II. Resource-Sharing and Capacity-Building 


 
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(f) Harmonize and coordinate all water works programs, plans 
and initiatives to ensure opportunities and maximum 
development of our water resources and services; 
(g) Assist and provide technical expertise to government 
agencies in the development of guidelines in the enforcement 
and administration of laws, standards, rules, and regulations 
governing the Department; 
(h) Assess, review and support water works related research 
and development programs of the government in coordination 
with the appropriate government agencies and other 
institutions concerned; 
(i) 
Prescribe 
the 
personnel 
qualifications 
and 
other 
qualification standards essential to the effective development 
and operation of Department; 
(j) Develop programs that would enhance the career 
advancement opportunities of Department and other water 
works personnel in government; 
(k) Assist in the dissemination of vital information essential to 
disaster risk reduction and preparedness through its 
activities; 
(k) Represent and negotiate for Philippine interest on matters 
pertaining to water works in international bodies, in 
coordination with the appropriate government agencies and 
other institutions concerned; 
(l) Establish guidelines for public-private partnerships in the 
implementation of water resources projects for development; 
and 
(m) Promote strategic partnerships and alliances between and 
among local and international water resources body and/or 
competitor, for the research and development, educational 
and training institutions, to enhance competitiveness of all 
personnel and workers.  
SECTION 6: COMPOSITION – The Department shall be headed by the 
Secretary.  
The Department proper shall be composed of the Office of the Secretary, 
the Offices of the Undersecretary and the Assistant Secretaries. 


 
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SECTION 7: SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT – The Secretary shall 
be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Commission 
on Appointments.  
The Secretary shall have the following functions: 
(a) Provide executive direction and supervision over the entire 
operations of the Department and its attached agencies, 
(b) Establish policies and standards for the effective, efficient and 
economical operation of the Department, in accordance with 
the programs of government; 
(c) Review and approve requests for financial and manpower 
resources of all operating offices of the Department: 
(d) Designate and appoint officers and employees of the 
Department, 
excluding 
the 
undersecretaries, 
assistant 
secretaries, and regional and assistant regional directors, in 
accordance with the civil service laws, rules, and regulations; 
(e) Exercise disciplinary powers over officers and employees of 
the Department in accordance with law, including their 
investigation and the designation of a committee or officer to 
conduct such investigations: 
(f) Coordinate with other agencies and public and private interest 
groups, including nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and 
people’s organizations on Department policies and initiatives; 
(g) Prepare and submit to the President through the Department 
of Budget and Management (DBM) an estimate of the 
necessary expenditures of the Department during the next 
fiscal year, on the basis of the reports submitted by bureaus 
and offices under him/her; 
(h) Serve as a member of the Government Procurement Policy 
Board (GPPB) as established by Republic Act No. 9184; 
(i) Advise the President on the promulgation of executive and 
administrative orders and formulation of regulatory and 
legislative proposals on matters pertaining to water resources 
and services development; 
(j) Formulate such rules and regulations and exercise such other 
powers as may be required to implement the objectives of this 
Act: and 
(k) Perform such other tasks as may be provided by law of 
assigned by the President. 


 
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SECTION 8: UNDERSECRETARIES – The Secretary shall be assisted by 
three (3) undersecretaries, who shall be appointed by the President upon 
the recommendation of the Secretary:  
Provided, that two (2) of the Undersecretaries shall be career officers. 
SECTION 9: ASSISTANT SECRETARIES – the Secretary shall be assisted 
by four (4) assistant secretaries who shall be appointed by the President 
upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Department:  
Provided, that two (2) of the Assistant Secretaries shall be career officers:  
Provided, further, that at least one (1) of the Assistant Secretaries shall be 
a person publicly recognized in the field of Water Resources. 
SECTION 10: QUALIFICATIONS – No person shall be appointed 
Secretary, Undersecretary, or Assistant Secretary of the Department 
unless he or she is a citizen and resident of the Philippines, of good moral 
character, of proven integrity and with at least seven (7) years of 
competence and expertise in the field of Water Works and at least thirty 
(30) years of age. 
SECTION 11: REGIONAL OFFICES – The department may establish, 
operate, and maintain a regional office in the different administrative 
regions of the country as the need arises.  
Each regional office shall be headed by a Regional Director who may be 
assisted by one (1) Assistant Regional Director.  
The Regional Director and Assistant Regional Director shall be appointed 
by the President.  
The regional offices shall have, within their respective administrative 
regions, the following functions: 


 
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(a) Implement laws, policies, plans, programs, projects, rules and 
regulations of the Department: 
(b) Provide efficient and effective service to the people: 
(c) Coordinate with regional offices of other departments, offices, 
and agencies; 
(d) Coordinate with the LGUs; and 
(e) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or 
assigned by Secretary. 
SECTION 12: SECTORAL AND INDUSTRY TASK FORCES – The 
Department may create sectoral and industry, task forces, technical 
working groups, advisory bodies or committees for the furtherance of its 
objectives.  
Additional private sector representatives, such as from the academe, civil 
society organizations (CSOs), and federation of private industries directly 
involved in water works, as well as representatives of other National 
Government Agencies (NGAs).  
Local Government Units (LGUs) and Government Owned and Controlled 
Corporations (GOCCs) may be appointed to these working groups.  
Government sports professionals may also be tapped to partake work in 
the Department through, these working groups. 
SECTION 13: TRANSFER OF AGENCIES AND PERSONNEL – The 
National Water Resources Board (NWRB) is hereby abolished, and its 
powers and functions, applicable funds and appropriations, records, 
equipment, property, and personnel transferred to the Department. 
SECTION 14: SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT OF SERVICE – 
Employees who are separated from service within six (6) months from the 
effectivity of this Act as a result of the consolidation and/or reorganization 
under the provisions of this Act shall receive separation benefits to which 
they may be entitled under Executive Order No. 366, s. 2004:  


 
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Provided, that those who are qualified to retire under existing requirement 
laws shall be allowed to retire and receive retirement benefits to which they 
may be entitled under applicable laws and issuances. 
SECTION 15: STRUCTURE AND STAFFING PATTERN – Subject to the 
approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the 
Department shall determine its organizational structure and create new 
divisions or units as it may deem necessary, and shall appoint officers and 
employees of the Department in accordance with the civil service law, 
rules, and regulations. 
SECTION 16: TRANSITION PERIOD – The transfer of functions, assets, 
funds, equipment, properties, transactions, and personnel of the affected 
agencies, and the formulation of the internal organic structure, staffing 
pattern, operating system, and revised budget of the Department, shall be 
completed within six (6) months from the effectivity of the Act, during 
which time, the existing personnel shall continue to assume their posts in 
holdover capacities until new positions and appointments are issued:  
Provided, that after the abolition of tie agencies as specified in section 14 
of this Act, the Department, in coordination with the DBM, shall determine 
and create new positions, the funding requirements of which shall not 
exceed the equivalent cost of positions abolished. 
SECTION 17: APPROPRIATION – The amount needed for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be One Billion Pesos (1,000,000,000.00) 
taken from the National Treasury.  
Thereafter, the amount needed for the operation and maintenance of the 
Department shall be included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA), the 
year after the enactment of this act, and thereafter. 
SECTION 18: IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. – The 
Department shall issue within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this 


 
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Act the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of 
this Act. 
SECTION 19: SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. — If any provision or part hereof 
is declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not 
affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
SECTION 20: REPEALING CLAUSE. – All laws, presidential decrees, 
executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with 
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly. 
SECTION 21: EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. - This Act shall take effect fifteen 
(15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.