The 46th National Convention of the Philippine Association of Water Districts (PAWD) was held from February 26 to 28, 2025, at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City. The theme of the convention, “Empowering Water Districts through Digital Transformation and Governance,” emphasizes the vital role of technology and effective governance in ensuring sustainable and efficient water management across the country.

The convention featured various plenary sessions, technical discussions, and exhibits showcasing innovative digital solutions, best practices in water governance, and strategies for enhancing service delivery in the water sector. One of the most insightful discussions focused on leveraging digital transformation to improve water distribution, monitoring, and billing systems. The integration of smart technologies, such as automated metering infrastructure (AMI) and geographic information systems (GIS), was highlighted as a game-changer for optimizing operations.

In a discussion during the session, Commissioner Albert Dela Cruz Sr. of Climate Change Commission encouraged Local Water Districts to closely coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), offering various digital solutions to enhance water district operations, including a free automated SMS billing system (eSMS) to streamline the billing process and improve customer service. This initiative aligns with the directive from the Office of the President for all government agencies, including water districts, to digitalize frontline services and integrate key services into the eGov application.

 

Additionally, the convention emphasized the importance of good governance in water districts, focusing on transparency, accountability, and customer-centric policies. A key discussion addressed the roles of the Board in ensuring sustainability and resilience within water districts.

 

Overall, the 46th PAWD National Convention was a meaningful event that reaffirmed the significance of digital innovation and sound governance in ensuring the efficient and equitable distribution of water resources.

 

 

Representatives from MTWD included Vice-Chairperson Dir. Lorna L. Dimalanta, Dir. Fausta L. Tanguilan, General Manager Engr. Miller Tanguilan, Technical Assistant to the Board Ms. Ma. Cristina F. Furigay, and Secretary B Ms. Lovelyn Castro. GM Miller Tanguilan, the Chairperson of the PAWD Technical Committee served as one of the facilitators for the Tap and Drill Skills Olympics which was won by Polomolok Water District.