DPWH receives P1.73B for water supply projects

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad. Photo courtesy of the World Economic Forum 2014 / Fotopedia

MANILA – To successfully implement water supply projects throughout the country, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has turned over P1.73 billion to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said Tourism Water Supply Infrastructure program is designed to boost the tourism and economic activity in some areas considered to be priority development sites.

The convergence project between the DPWH and the Department of Tourism (DoT) is in line with the government’s efforts to enhance tourism by providing adequate water sources.

The budget released was taken from the DPWH’s budget for Water Supply and Sanitation for poverty areas and tourism priority sites under the 2014 General Appropriation’s Act (GAA).

“Through the joint efforts of these agencies, the Administration has identified various in-need locations nationwide which have been waterless for years now. As poor as these communities have been, however, we understand their potential for growth, especially through local tourism. Our latest fund release aims to respond to this need and potential by developing water supply facilities in these areas,” Abad said.

The areas leading in the list for priority implementation include cities of San Carlos in Negros Occidental and Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte.

Both the top priority development areas were allocated P138.6 million.