PNoy appoints DPWH's Singson as water czar

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson as his administration’s water czar who will be tasked to provide potent water supply to communities. At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Aquino wanted Singson to take responsibility over water agencies such as Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Local Water Utilities Administration, and National Water Regulatory Board. “There are a number of agencies which have jurisdiction over water: MWSS, LWUA, NWRB. This has to be rationalized and has to be placed under one official. The President has tasked Secretary Babes Singson to do it for now," he said. As the water czar, Singson will have to study the country’s water management as there are several departments and agencies that have jurisdiction over water. “So the President deemed it necessary to appoint a water czar to look into all the concerns on regarding water," Lacierda said. He said the instruction was issued over a month ago, even before Typhoons Pedring and Quiel hit the country. “Being water czar is more than calamities. It’s about providing potent water supply to communities; providing water to communities which don’t have water. But my understanding is siyempre it will be part of the concern of the water czar, of Secretary Singson to assess, for instance, iyong sa flooding, sa water, sa release of water kasama na po iyon, na baka it will be part of his responsibilities," said Lacierda. - Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News