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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES {ME — O08 gm”
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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS *\iex wy

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4995

Introduced by Representative TYRONE D. AGABAS

AN ACT
MANDATING THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO ALLOCATE FUNDS
FOR POTABLE WATER ACCESS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF
WATER SYSTEMS IN ALL BARANGAYS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to require the national government to allocate funds
for the construction or establishment of accessible and potable water
systems in all barangays in the country.

The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to
health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health
and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost
(Section 11, Article XIII, 1987 Constitution).

The unavailability of accessible and potable water system to our
countrymen especially those living in far-flung areas and communities
with no water or low water coverage with high incidence of poverty and
water-bone diseases has become a social problem of national importance.
Currently, the government has adopted the SaLinTubig (Sagana at Ligtas
Na Tubig Para sa Lahat) Program through the Department of Interior and
Local Government (DILG) for the implementation of programs that will
secure potable water access in Local Government Units throughout the
country. However, in the absence of a legislative framework that will
institutionalize the mandatory establishment of potable water systems in
the country, the full extent of the DILG ancillary programs cannot be fully
implemented and maximized.


To date, millions of Filipinos have no access to clean potable water.
They rely mainly on unsafe and unreliable water source. To ease the
burden of being exposed to unsafe water source, some of our countrymen
had to endure long walks sometimes crossing rivers and mountains just
to have access to clean and potable waters. The need to mandatorily
establish an accessible potable water systems in the country has not only
become imperative but indispensable.

Hence, this earnest request for the immediate passage of this bill.

TYRONE D. AGABAS
Representative
6% District, Pangasinan


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. 4995

AN ACT
MANDATING THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO ALLOCATE
FUNDS FOR POTABLE WATER ACCESS AND THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WATER SYSTEMS IN ALL BARANGAYS,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

Philippines in Congress assembled:

SEC. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the
“Potable Water Act of 2019”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of State Policy. - It is the declared
policy of the State to provide one of man’s basic right and need-the
right to access to potable water. It is also the policy of the State to
promote the quality of health of every Filipino through the
provision of adequate potable water supply system. To this end,
the State shall ensure access of every Filipino to potable water
through the funding, and the construction of, water systems
across the country-giving priority to the poorest barangays.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. —
“LWUA” - shall refer to the Local Utilities Administration

“DOH” - shall refer to the Department of Health.

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“DSWD” - shall refer to the Department of Social Welfare and

Development

“NEDA” - shall refer to the National Economic Development
Authority

“DPWH” - shall refer to the Department of Public Works and
Highway

“LGUs” — shall refer to the Local Government Units which
shall then include provinces, cities, municipalities,
barangay and autonomous areas in the
Philippines.

“NAPC” - shall refer to the National Anti-Poverty Commission

“PSA” — shall refer to the National Statistics Authority

“IRA” — shall refer to the Internal Revenue Allotment of
Local Government Units

“Water Systems/Water Facilities” — A water supply system

in one or more provincial cities or municipalities.

“Water District” — A water district is a local corporate entity
that operates and maintains a water supply
system in one or more provincial cities or
municipalities.

“Potable Water” — shall refer to drinking water that is safe to
drink or use for food preparation.

Section 4. Scope. - This Act shall cover all local government
units. The necessary water systems and water facilities shall
be established, constructed and implemented on a per-area

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or region basis which would be most strategic to cater to all
barangays as determined by the DOH, LWUA, DPWH, and
such other agencies that have data and studies on the

matter.

Any existing water system or facilities project shall be
enhance by the national government through the above-
mentioned government agencies and GOCCs in compliance
with the mandate of this Act.

Section 5. Allocation from the national government. - The
government, through the DOH, LWUA, DPWH, and such
other agencies that have the authority to plot where to
implement the objectives of this Act, develop the necessary
studies to ascertain key areas that are in need of potable
water, and implement the project necessary for the
construction of water system/facilities within the territory of
the Republic of the Philippines, shall henceforth include in
the budget an allocation for such study, construction and
completion of such water systems and/or facilities.

In the implementation of this Act, the poorest local
government units and barangays shall have the highest
priority. The socio-economic status of said local government
units shall be determined using data from the appropriate
government agencies such as the PSA, NAPC, DSWD and
NEDA.

Nothing in this Act shall be constructed to remove,
reduce, diminish or otherwise abandon the present

responsibility and commitment of local government units to

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fund and/or spearhead the construction and completion of
their own water systems using their share form the IRA due
theme and other sources of revenue.

Section 6. Appropriation. - The funds required for the
implementation of this Act upon its approval shall be taken
form the budget of the LWUA and DPWH for the current fiscal

year.

Thereafter, the amount necessary to carry out the provisions
of this Act shall be included in the general Appropriation Act
of the year immediately following its enactment into law and
subsequent thereto. The LWUA, as a government-owned and
controlled corporation, shall be required to allocate from its
revenue a separate budget to comply with the requirements of
this Act.

Section 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within
ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act, LWUA, DPWH,
PSA, NAPC, NEDA and such other concerned agencies shall
adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations to carry out
the provision of this Act. Such implementing rules and
regulations shall be effective fifteen (15) days following their
publication in the Official Gazzate or in two (2) major
newspapers of general circulation.

Section 8. Separabilty Clause. — If any provision of this Act
shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions
not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect

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Section 9. - Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders,
rules and regulation consistent with or contrary to this Act

are hereby deemed accordingly repealed or amended.

Section 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect
after fifteen (15) days from publication in at least two (2)

newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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