The FAO-ESCAP pilot project on national water visions. From vision ...

<strong>The</strong> strategy and plan of action to realize the vision are to be formulated, adopted and
disseminated to all stakeholders, so that everybody is committed to conserving water
resources and their ecosystems. Water is everybody’s business. <strong>The</strong> seven strategic steps
identified and recommended by the national consultation workshop for implementation are as
follows:
(1) Endorsement and acceptance of the national water vision by all stakeholders.
(2) Establishment of river-basin organizations.
(3) Establishment of a mechanism for coordination and monitoring.
(4) Sensitizing and facilitating the involvement of NGOs in implementing the framework for
action.
(5) Enhancement of public awareness of the national water vision.
(6) Establishment of a mechanism for participatory management of stakeholders in all
subsectors.
(7) Maintaining and regularizing dialogue among the key partners of the national water
vision.
• Philippines
In order to achieve the national water vision, a framework of action would include the
following:
• Managing water resources efficiently and effectively by (a) creating an environment for
sector agencies enabling them to perform legislation, regulation, resource mobilization and
investment generation, (b) eliminating or significantly reducing wastage (pricing,
reduction of non-revenue water, education, research and development), and protecting
aqueducts and supply lines;
• Expediting socially responsive private sector participation and enhancing public-private
partnerships;
• Moving towards integrated river basin management by increasing the number of river
basin authorities from 2 to 18 by the year 2025, and protecting water resources and
integrated watershed management;
• Advocating political decisions and political support to implement the vision;
• Mobilizing and institutionalizing broad partnerships between government and nongovernment
organizations, people’s organizations, private sector and academic bodies, etc,
to put the vision into action and monitor performance with a view to develop a strong
gender-sensitive water culture at all levels;
• Moving towards adequate and affordable water, sanitation, sewerage services favouring
the poor and marginalized sectors of society;
• Putting in place a monitoring and evaluation system with a view to improve performance
and accountability; and
• Recognizing the overwhelming need to create a government authority responsible for
policy formulation and law enforcement.
A four-year plan of action was drawn up to implement the national water vision. For a start, a
press conference will be held by NWRB to drum up interest in the Philippine water vision,
and the legislators behind the Clean Water Act will be invited to participate. Bills on water
pending in Congress will be reviewed with a view to integrate them into a single bill.
Simultaneous with the press conference, ground working with politicians and executives will
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National water visions in Southeast Asia