(City Mayor Crisostomo “Cris” Garbo urges water service providers both public and private to comply with the standards of drinking water quality for the safety of Mabalaquenos during the committee meeting on Local Water Quality Monitoring in the City.)
MABALACAT CITY – Mayor Crisostomo “Cris” Garbo has urged water service providers, both public and private stakeholders in the city, to comply with the standards of drinking water as prescribed by the Department of Health, for the safety of Mabalaquenos.
This was gleaned during a committee meeting on Local Water Quality Monitoring in the City where local stakeholders are mandated to comply with Executive Order No. 012 known as “Reconstituting the Mabalacat City Local Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Committee and Defining its Functions”.
Mayor Garbo issued the executive order highlighting Presidential Decree No. 856 known as “Code on Sanitation of the Philippines” which mandates local and private stakeholders to comply with the drinking water quality standards for the safety of the people.
“You (water service providers) have to comply with what was required by the law,” Mayor Garbo said in a meeting with stakeholders in the City.
The Code prescribes standards for drinking water quality, and their bacteriological and chemical examinations. Together with the evaluation of results, these shall conform to the criteria set by the Department of Health (DoH) under the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW).
The PNSDW of 2017 contains implementing guidelines for all drinking-water service providers which include government and private developers and operators, bulk water suppliers, water refilling station operators, drinking water firms, and ice manufacturers.
Meanwhile, City Health Officer Dr. Ma. Clara Aquino recognized the vital role of the Committee in the preservation of healthy life for Mabalaqueños, and for Filipinos as a whole.
Aquino warned stakeholders that non-compliance is equivalent to posing dangerous mischief to general health. She reiterated that water service providers shall be scrutinized with the letter of the law in order to ensure that safety is not undermined.
For her part, Provincial Sanitary Engr. Amelia Arce, explained what was mandatory in the PNSDW as well as the drinking water quality.
A regular consultation with water service providers is set regularly to monitor the drinking water quality for the Mabalaquenos is safe.
