Day: March 30, 2023

Digepres concludes Water Week with a talk on its importance and sustainable management

Through its Sustainable Budget project, the institution seeks to raise awareness about the importance of water resources, their availability, and recommendations for their conservation. With the aim of raising awareness about the protection of water in all its diversity, the General Directorate of Budget held a talk entitled "Water, Sustainability, Resilience, and the Role of Citizens," aimed at the institution's staff. The activity sought to discuss and reflect on the socio-environmental problems that arise from failing to promote its conservation and care. The welcoming remarks were delivered by the Director General of Budget, José Rijo Presbot, who thanked the speaker and attendees for their presence. He also stated that the institution is promoting efforts to implement an environmental sustainability policy both internally and externally through the Sustainable Budget project. During his speech, Rijo Presbot emphasized the importance of water preservation and conservation, highlighting its fundamental role as a resource for life and the actions taken by President Luis Abinader's administration to ensure that water reaches every Dominican. “From a budgetary standpoint, we have compared water investments in 2018 and 2019 with those of 2021 and 2022, and there has been a 104 percent increase; this means that 2.2 million Dominicans now have access to tap water,” said Rijo Presbot. He added that communities that had lacked access to this precious resource for over 30 years now have access to aqueducts. He also highlighted the incorporation of the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewerage (INAPA), the Santiago Water and Sewerage Corporation (CORAASAN), and the Santo Domingo Water and Sewerage Corporation (CAASD), among others, into the Financial Management Information System (SIGEF) as another achievement in the water sector; this will ensure transparency and institutional integrity in the management of water resources. The talk, entitled “Water, Sustainability, Resilience, and the Role of Citizens,” was given by architect, environmentalist, and social activist Ico Abreu, who began his presentation by establishing criteria on the topic of sustainability and its importance. He then addressed the issue of water, highlighting how it is obtained and disposed of, and its contamination by discharges from human and industrial activity. “Addressing the issue of conservation and protection of drinking water and rivers is a civic and state responsibility for their sustainability,” Abreu stated. He explained in detail the water treatment process, sanitary criteria and quality parameters for human consumption, and the use, management, and handling of wastewater, including black and grey water. Abreu also highlighted other environmental issues related to international agreements concerning water resources and their management, gas emissions, climate change, the global green movement, and ways to contribute individually and collectively to environmental sustainability. Sustainable Budgeting: It is worth recalling that the General Directorate of Budget (Digepres) presented the Sustainable Budgeting project in February with the aim of raising awareness among the institution's employees and the general public about the importance of protecting the environment. The event, held in the Juan Bosch Room at the Budget Office, was also attended by the Deputy Director of Budget, Iván José Ramírez Vargas; Francisco Manuel Abreu Páez, Head of the Human Resources Department; project managers; and other staff members.