The GTZ Water and Sanitation Program is one of the focal programs of Philippine-German cooperation. This cooperation plays a key role in supporting the economic, social and political development of the Philippines. The program is designed to improve the living conditions of the rural poor population in selected areas of the country, through the strengthening of government organizations at the national, provincial and municipal levels of administration. Drawing valuable lessons from almost 10 years of experience in the sector, the Program promotes sustainability by enabling partnerships and active local participation.

Core activities include: technical advice on strategic planning for the sector (sector roadmap); capacity development; knowledge management; pilot demonstration activities on low cost sanitation options (ecosan); and support to local associations. Collaboration with other German institutions, foreign donor agencies, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions has achieved a high level of synergy and ensures the optimum use of limited resources in program areas.

The implementation of the Water and Sanitation Program follows the guiding principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), which promote efficiency and sustainability at all levels of intervention.

At the macro level, the Program extends technical assistance to its national partners such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Water and Sanitation Program Management Office (DILG-WSSPMO), the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), and the Water and Sanitation Coordinating Office under the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC-WASCO).

With the DILG acting as the main program partner, capacity development activities for local government units (LGUs) can be carried out effectively and efficiently. The Program supports NWRB in its decentralization plan and in the development of a raw water pricing model at pilot sites in the Visayas. The principle of integrated policy and institutional frameworks is advocated through the Program’s support to WASCO. This aims to define the levels of integration of various government agencies, support policy formulation and improve the coordination of sector programs and activities. Advisory services are extended to selected Provincial Planning and Development Offices (PPDO) to promote integrated planning with all sector stakeholders.

Together with the seven most important sector stakeholder organizations, a roadmap is being drafted to suggest ways of reducing overlapping and frictions of these organizations and to streamline the water sector activities. This process is facilitated and moderated by the GTZ program.

Basic training courses are offered to enhance the understanding of IWRM within the legal framework governing the Philippine water sector. Partner agencies are assisted to formulate plans for the integration and mainstreaming of IWRM into their respective water and sanitation programs.