40 Million Pinoys Drinking Unsafe Water — DENR Says It Needs ₱200 Billion to Fix the Crisis

Here's a number that should scare you: around 40 million Filipinos — roughly a third of the country's population — are still relying on water sources that could be unsafe or compromised. That's the alarming figure from DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David, who says fixing the problem requires a staggering ₱200 billion.

The problem? The government's actual water supply budget from 2024 to 2026 is just ₱485 million for 405 sites nationwide. "Malayong-malayo 'yung ₱200 billion sa ₱485 million," David admitted, noting that the DENR is prioritizing the poorest and most isolated communities — the ones with the least access to clean water.

Climate change and pollution are making things worse. David explained that while some of those 40 million Filipinos technically have "access" to water, the sources they depend on are increasingly at risk of being compromised. The DENR wants to build resilient systems that guarantee continuous access — pero the fiscal space, as David put it, is just too narrow.

DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna didn't mince words either, warning that the Philippines is facing "water bankruptcy" — a situation where consumption is outpacing natural replenishment. At the 2026 World Water Day event, he pushed for streamlined regulations and empowered regional offices to act as "permitting accelerators" to fast-track water projects.

The 2026 plan includes installing desalination and freshwater filtration systems in 59 barangays, expanding water district services to unserved communities, and deploying water refilling equipment for cheaper drinking water. David argues the math actually works: "We're investing ₱1,000 per person, and that goes a long way — almost forever." But with budget constraints this tight, 40 million Filipinos are still waiting.

Source: Manila Bulletin