Officials of the capital town of Virac are moving to convince the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to allocate multi-year funding for a proposed P800 million water impounding and flood control facility to address the recurrent water crisis.
Last week, the Committee of the Whole in the Sangguniang Bayan led by Vice Mayor Lemuel P. Surtida tasked Councilor Joseph L. Mendoza to craft and file a resolution endorsing the project to the DPWH in order to ensure long-term water security in the municipality.
Mendoza, who is represented the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan following the suspension of its president, was slated to sponsor the measure in last Monday’s first regular session in several weeks.
Aside from the vice mayor and Councilor Mendoza, the other SB members present during the June 17, 2026 committee meeting were Councilor Hazel Isidoro, Councilor Fred Gianan Jr., Councilor Ariel Molina, Councilor Rafael Zuniega, Councilor Anthony Arcilla, and Councilor Alexander Abundo.
The meeting was scheduled after several SB members expressed disappointment with a recent media statement made by Virac Water District (VIWAD) General Manager Gabriel Tejerero that the local government unit has not assisted the district in resolving the prolonged water supply shortage.
For over three months now, more than 10,000 concessionaires in 24 barangays in the town have been experiencing limited and intermittent access to potable water, adversely affecting public health, sanitation, economic productivity, and the overall quality of life of residents.
Mendoza said in the resolution that the current water supply situation has exposed the need for long-term and sustainable solutions to augment available water resources and strengthen water security in the municipality, considering the increasing demand brought about by population growth, urban expansion, commercial activities, and climate variability.
“Recurring water shortages experienced by the residents of Virac have highlighted the inadequacy of existing water resource development and management systems, necessitating the establishment of additional infrastructure capable of storing, conserving, and regulating water resources for present and future needs,” he stated.
The proposal for the construction of a combined water impounding and flood control facility for sustainable water resource management in Sitio Cawayan in Virac, where the VIWAD’s main water source is located, was recommended by former DPWH District Engineer Gil Augustus Balmadrid, who was present during the meeting for a different matter.
The project, it is claimed, will capture and store substantial volumes of water during the rainy season for use during periods of low rainfall, drought, and water scarcity, with the stored water enough for two to three months of use.
It would likewise provide an important flood mitigation component by regulating excessive stormwater runoff during periods of heavy rainfall, reducing the risks of flooding in downstream communities, agricultural areas, and vital infrastructure, Councilor Mendoza added.
As a short-term solution to the water crisis, GM Tejerero urged the LGU to help finance the installation of deep wells costing P8 million each that could provide water within two months.
SB members expressed willingness to approve the funding request but asked VIWAD to furnish them its financial statements for the past three years to make sure that it indeed requires financial assistance from the LGU for the development of new water sources.
VIWAD Board Chairman Engr. Roger Reyes disclosed that the district is drilling two wells at the Community Hub and at Imperial Homes Subdivision, both at San Isidro Village, alongside pipelaying at Inagasan to tap a tributary as an additional source.
Mayor Sinforoso Sarmiento Jr. has agreed to donate a 50-square meter lot at the LGU-owned property at Cavinitan for another deep well while Vice Mayor Surtida is said to be willing to allow the construction of another well on his property.
VIWAD has already requested Governor Patrick Alain T. Azanza for the donation of a similar lot at the back of the provincial capitol for the installation of another deep well but has yet to receive a reply.
It may be recalled that during the term of then Gov. Joseph Cua, VIWAD also made the same request but was reportedly denied.
Instead, the PLGU allocated a portion of the Calamity Fund for the rehabilitation of a portion of the población distribution line.
Chairman Reyes also bared that the management is also purchasing two gensets for use in the operation of existing deep wells, one of which stopped operating after its genset’s breaker burned.