THE Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) last week led discussions on ways to improve the country's water industry by streamlining processes, studying agency redundancies and establishing regulatory bodies, with Israeli officials giving their inputs.

A plan to lengthen the validity of permits required by local government units for the water concession projects was also discussed.

ARTA met with concerned government agencies and private firms during the third water industry stakeholders coordination meeting on April 3, 2024 at the ARTA Central Office in Quezon City.

The meeting also focused on creating and executing a program to simplify the current procedures and paperwork needed for water projects in the country such as wastewater pipe-laying projects and leak repairs.

"What we bring to the table is our experience, our approach, and our regulations and legislation. We share it in the Philippine context," Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss said.

"At the end of the day, it is an internal Philippine process that we are happy to contribute with our best practices," he added.

Tahel Brandes, Israeli Water and Sewage Authority senior deputy legal adviser, also discussed his government's approaches to effectively establishing a sustainable water system.

She emphasized the importance of smart regulation that includes the participation of consumers and the public to achieve the end goals discussed in the meeting.

Despite the scarcity of water in its geographical location, Israel sees itself as a global water powerhouse because of its sustainable water technologies. Among many others, Israel developed drip irrigation that has been adopted globally.

For his part, ARTA Deputy Director General for Operations Gerald Divinagracia expressed appreciation for the Israel Embassy's inputs to help the country's water sector. He said these will help in crafting strategies to improve the efficiency in the country's water sector.

"By the culmination of our session, we aspire to achieve several key outcomes, particularly in mirroring Israel's sustainable water industry practices and ensuring that the permitting process does not unduly burden stakeholders and citizens alike," Divinagracia said.

Representatives from the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and the National Economic Development Authority also shared their views of the current regulatory environment of the local water sector and moves to establish the Department of Water Resources and Water Regulatory Commission.

The participants in the meeting also discussed a proposed research on the duplication of agency functions concerning the processes and paperwork needed to authorize the establishment or repair of water systems.