Around 40 million of the Philippines' 115 million population lack access to reliable water supply, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David stated that climate change or pollution could compromise water sources for millions. DENR chief Juan Miguel Cuna highlighted the challenge of water bankruptcy facing the country.
At a press conference in Manila, Philippines, ahead of World Water Day on March 22, DENR Undersecretary for Integrated Environmental Science Carlos Primo David highlighted that around 40 million people lack reliable water access out of the country's 115 million population. “This is a huge percentage. We want to build them a resilient system wherein they have continuous access to water,” he said on Tuesday. He noted that climate change or pollution threatens water sources for millions and identified funding shortages as a key barrier. “I won’t lie to you, it’s funding. The fiscal space of the government in the past few years has been narrow,” David explained, estimating P200 billion needed nationwide, or about P1,000 per person for long-term solutions. DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna acknowledged a potable water access crisis. “The Philippines is facing a challenge of water bankruptcy, where national consumption is based on nature’s ability to replenish. We are meeting this challenge with science, and they have a clear tactical roadmap,” he stated. To address it, a P485-million investment in water regulation will benefit over 440,000 people by end-2026, including desalination and filtration systems in 59 barangays and climate-resilient infiltration galleries using georesistivity, surveys, and geospatial data. “From installing the desalination and filtration systems across 59 barangays to developing climate resilient infiltration galleries that tap into subsurface river flows, we are engineering a future where no community is left behind,” Cuna added.
