Has DPWH formed the BSWA?

The Beekeeper

How far and fast has the Philippine Government been in complying with Republic Act 6716?

Had the present and past administrations been as diligent as the present Malacanang tenant’s profligacy in letting loose expletives, the Philippine Archipelago must by this time be teeming with fresh water sources.

So far, there is no compliance to RA 6716, an “act providing for the construction of water wells, rainwater collectors, development of springs and rehabilitation of existing water walls in all barangays in the Philippines.”

The law commands the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to undertake the construction of the above water collecting facilities “30 days” from approval as well as rehabilitate existing wells. Still, DPWH must report to the respective committees on public works and highways of the Lower and Upper houses on its accomplishments “90 days” from the passage of the law, and thereafter, every 180 days.

RA 6716, intends to cushion the impact of global warming or climate change; it was approved by Pres. Corazon C. Aquino on March 17, 1989.

How many wells has DPWH constructed since then? Twenty-eight precious year passed but the DPWH has not submitted a single report on its implementation of RA 6716. It would be fair to conclude it constructed zero well and water catchment.

The central government itself has become panderer summa cum laude, bugaw-in-chief as it pushes the Philippines and its people to the precipice of environmental disaster. The Mining Act of 1995 that the inglorious Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo authored in the Senate and approved by Pres. Fidel V. Ramos, consigned vast lands, especially in Mindanao, to be disemboweled, plundered, defoliated for minerals, thus, paving the way for the dispossession of thousands of people.

This mass dispossession informs the ongoing war in Mindanao waged by the NPA, MILF, MNLF and BIFF. Mining destroys farms, bodies of water including the shoals and rivers which serve as source of food. Government, as typefied by the expletive-happy President, is on the side of water destruction, that is, mining corporations, thus, its knack to militarize actual and potential mining areas. While foreign capital, its local partners and Quislings in government raked super-profits, thousand of Filipino peasants are condemned to wretchedness.

As government is complicit in land grabbing for mining, it invites mass resistance, thus, the spread of rebellion as people find government and its Armed Forces and Police defenders of plunderers and land grabbers. In Duterte’s first year, 81 peasant leaders are killed by State agents, that is one in every 4.5 days, most of the victims anti-mining activists.

Remembering Mayor Zafiro Palabrica.

Zaf Palabrica (+), mayor of Bingawan town once toured us reporters to his town, some 70 kilometers north of Iloilo City to see small water impounding ponds (SWIPs) his administration constructed by excavating water catchments between hills. The slopes are planted to trees to develop springs so the SWIPs have natural sources of water, not just depend on rains. Six to eight months of a year have rains, Palabrica told us. “We have to create rainwater collectors instead of letting the rain drain to the sea.”

The SWIPs not onlyu provide irrigation water during the dry months. The Bingawan experience shows it also spawns livelihood like poultry and fish farming.

Constructing open dug wells and rain water harvesting facilities, to paraphrase Sec. 1 of RA 6716, ensures the right of Filipinos in “every barangay” to free potable water.

To enlist people’s support, Sec. 3 of the same Act, orders the DPWH to organize the Barangay Water and Sanitation Association (BSWA) in every village for the maintenance of rainwater harvesters and wells.

Has the DPWH organized the BSWA? Your guess is as good as mine.#