CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — Malolos City Mayor Atty. Christian Natividad is advocating for the establishment of a Department of Water, a dedicated national agency that will centralize the management, development, and regulation of the country’s water resources and supply systems.

Mayor Natividad emphasized that the creation of a Department of Water is long overdue, noting that water governance in the Philippines is currently fragmented across multiple agencies — leading to gaps in service delivery, slow infrastructure development, and inconsistent water security across regions.

“Water is a fundamental human right and a critical public good. Yet today, no single agency has full, unified authority over water supply, quality, conservation, and disaster resilience,” Mayor Natividad stated. “A Department of Water will streamline policies, fast-track projects, and ensure every community — urban and rural — has reliable access to safe, clean water.”

The proposal seeks to consolidate functions currently spread across various bodies — including water supply, wastewater management, flood control coordination, and resource regulation — under one unified department. This structure would enable more integrated planning, faster response to water shortages, and better long-term infrastructure investment.

Mayor Natividad added that the initiative aligns with the city’s own efforts to improve water services for Malolos residents, upgrade distribution networks, and ensure sustainable supply amid population growth and climate challenges. He has called on fellow local chief executives, legislators, and national stakeholders to support the measure and prioritize it in the legislative agenda.