The Program has been influential in promoting policy and institutional reforms resulting in the drawing up of a sector roadmap. This roadmap clearly defines the strategic roles of key water agencies and enhances the coordination of water-related programs and developments. Setting the strategic direction of the sector has facilitated the development of financing and incentive structures. These allow the systematic and transparent allocation of resources and infrastructure to water projects (funded by foreign donor agencies and local financing institutions).

Management and planning tools such as the Geographic Information System, Knowledge Management, and Benchmarking have been applied to strengthen and upgrade the sector database and to ensure the efficient exchange of information among agencies.

The Provincial Water Supply, Sewerage and Sanitation Sector Plan (PW4SP) has been formulated and serves as the main framework for future implementation of water and sanitation projects in the four provinces of Central Visayas. The plan includes arrangements and logistics for local implementation and measures to strengthen operational frameworks and institutional capacities.

The introduction of low cost options for sanitation – especially the ecological sanitation (ecosan) concept – has been successful. Several Urine-Diversion-Dehydration toilets have been constructed and are already replicated. In Bayawan, Province of Oriental Negros, the first constructed wetland in the Philippines is in operation. Financed by the municipality and with technical support from GTZ the wastewater of approx. 700 households is treated. Different municipalities visited the site and are interested in replicating the model.

Overall, the advisory services extended by the Program at all levels of intervention have considerably strengthened water sector institutions. This will support them in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goal for water i.e. by 2015, to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water; and the goal of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan i.e. to provide potable water to the entire country by 2010.