Residents in the country’s most isolated barangays are now accessing safe, potable water at costs reduced by more than 50%, according to a recent report of the Water Resources Management Office (WRMO), the office created by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2023 under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to harmonize national water security.
For residents served by local water districts, the WRMO has provided high-grade refilling equipment.
With the barangays getting drinking water in-situ, retail price of drinking water was slashed to a fixed P15 per 5-gallon container.
With the barangays getting drinking water in-situ, retail price of drinking water was slashed to a fixed P15 per 5-gallon container, nearly half the commercial rate.
In 2025, these equipment have been installed in remote water districts in Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Leyte, Negros Oriental and Cagayan. The barangays collect the fees which are then used for maintenance and operation of the water system.
In addition, remote island communities in Romblon, Sorsogon, Occidental Mindoro, Bohol, and Zamboanga City that previously paid between P50 and P70 for a 5-gallon container are now accessing safe water for just P20 to P25 under the WRMO’s Water Filtration Program.
In 2026, two additional sites are already operational in Bohol and Bulacan while the remaining sites are nearing completion, such as those selected in Zamboanga City, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, and Eastern Samar.
“These results are the product of the President’s direct marching orders to improve processes and strengthen monitoring.”
DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna credited these operational gains to the vision of President Marcos, Jr., adding that these results are the product of the President’s direct “marching orders” to improve processes and strengthen monitoring.
“The creation of the WRMO under the President’s mandate has allowed us to move from being mere regulators to being systems-builders,” Cuna added.
Beyond immediate cost savings, the agency has utilized scientific precision to secure long-term supply through the following achievements:
Precision Surveys: As of May 2025, the DENR has completed 66 georesistivity site surveys at no cost to local governments, a technical service valued at P23.1 million. These surveys identify viable groundwater resources before drilling, which “reduces uncertainty and minimizes potential risks” for community projects.
Alternative Source Development: The agency has successfully launched the Infiltration Gallery Project, which taps into naturally filtered subsurface river flows (hyporheic zone) to provide sustainable water for 79,420 beneficiaries.
Geospatial Oversight: Utilizing the National Natural Resource Geospatial Database, the DENR now maps all natural assets to ensure that national infrastructure development is grounded in hard data.
By the end of 2026, the WRMO’s cumulative efforts are projected to provide safe water access to a total of 440,904 individuals nationwide. The 2026 phase is backed by a P256.9 million allocation to reach 220,027 new beneficiaries.
Key expectations for 2026 include:
Infrastructure Expansion: The deployment of high-performance filtration and desalination systems to 59 additional barangays in water-stressed regions like Bohol, Palawan, Cebu, and Masbate.
Institutional Support: Providing financial assistance to 13 additional Water Districts to extend service grids into unserved outskirt barangays.
Upland Resilience: Completing spring water systems in 11 additional sites, with 2026 installations featuring a micro-hydropower component to provide simultaneous water and energy solutions.
