Establishment of a Small Water Impounding Management (SWIM) Committee

July 25, 1979

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 898

In order to ensure the effective and coordinated implementation of the program for small catchment basins and impounding reservoirs under the National Infrastructure Program which is envisioned to develop and control water on a small scale for multiple use particularly, flood control, irrigation, water supply, power generation, and erosion control, you are hereby instructed to implement the following: aisa dc

1. Establish a Small Water Impounding Management (SWIM) Committee, which shall be constituted by a top-echelon official each from:

The Ministry of Public Works	Chairman
The Ministry of Human Settlements	Co-Chairman
The Ministry of Energy	Member
The Ministry of Natural Resources	Member
The Ministry of Agriculture	Member
The Ministry of the Budget	Member

The main functions of the SWIM Committee are the formulation and coordination of operational policies and targets for the development of SWIM projects, closely interfacing these with the programs for Bagong Lipunan Sites and Services (BLISS) livelihood, energy development, food production, water supply, flood control, erosion control, and watershed management; the determination of priority areas for SWIM development; the adoption of the annual SWIM integrated programs and budgets; selection of the lead implementing agency and cooperating agencies for each SWIM project from among the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Farm Systems Development Corporation (FSDC), the National Electrification Administration (NEA), the Ministry of Public Works (MPW), the Bureau of Soils (BS), and the Bureau of Forest Development (BFD); and overall coordination and supervision of SWIM program implementation. The SWIM Committee shall submit to the President of the Philippines regular reports on the performance and progress of the SWIM projects. casia

2. Establish a SWIM Technical Working Group (TWG) under the MPW which shall be headed by the Chairman, Task Force for Flood Control and Related Activities (TFFCRA) and co-chaired by the Executive Director, National Water Resources Council. Each implementing/cooperating agency, namely, NIA, FSDC, NEA, BS, MPW, BFD, MHS and other agencies concerned, shall assign a senior technical representative/s to the TWG. The TWG shall serve as the technical arm of the SWIM Committee. Specifically, it shall be responsible for the identification of SWIM projects; the conduct of necessary studies, surveys and designs for the projects; the preparation of annual SWIM integrated programs and budgets; and monitoring and coordination of project construction in accordance with the policies, guidelines, and programs adopted by the SWIM Committee. Subject to the approval of the SWIM Committee, the TWG may engage consultants, hire personnel, and grant reimbursement of actual transportation and representation expenses to the officials concerned, pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations.

3. Pursue, through the SWIM Committee, the construction of SWIM projects by the designated lead implementing and cooperating agencies in accordance with the approval annual SWIM programs and budgets.

4. To ensure the attainment of programs and targets, the Ministry of the Budget shall release the funds for the projects, in accordance with the approved SWIM programs and budgets, to the MPW, care of the TFFCRA, which shall then transfer the funds to the lead implementing and cooperating agencies concerned.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 25th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Nine. casia