Government rolls out water filters amid ‘super’ El Niño

MANILA, Philippines —  The government will start distributing free portable water filtration kits to communities next week to ensure adequate supply of potable water amid a looming super El Niño, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian announced yesterday.

At a Palace briefing, Gatchalian and officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development demonstrated the use of the filtration kits, which are intended for household and community use.

Gatchalian said the government has a stockpile of the Sawyer water filtration system with bucket adapter kits supplied by international nongovernment organization Waves for Water.

The system is certified by the Department of Health as a medical device and has passed the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.

It uses 0.1-micron filters that can remove bacteria associated with cholera, salmonella, E. coli and coliform contamination from deep wells, springs and rainwater.

The DSWD will launch the filtration system in Tondo, Manila next week, prioritizing areas under a state of calamity and densely populated communities in Metro Manila.

Larger filtration systems equipped with rain catchers and faucets are also being deployed and operated as community drinking water stations in San Felipe, Zambales and Mayantoc, Tarlac, while similar facilities have been used in Batanes.

Other government agencies are also stepping up efforts to mitigate the effects of El Niño.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), for its part, is promoting nature-based solutions to help farms withstand drought, including bamboo plantations to retain soil moisture, soil conservation structures to prevent erosion and small water impounding systems to provide alternative water supplies.

The department is also working with irrigation agencies and local communities to improve water management and promote sustainable farming practices.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, has ordered police camps, stations and regional headquarters to adopt “water-smart” protocols, conserve water, install rainwater harvesting systems and repair leaking infrastructure.

A fast lane for legally imported agricultural products is also being considered by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to speed up the release of food supplies and help prevent shortages amid El Niño.

“We have to double the facilitation of imported food items especially during El Niño, if there would be a shortage in rice and vegetables,” BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said at a forum yesterday.

He added that the agency would explore the proposal and support the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s programs, provided importers have complete permits and comply with requirements.

P6.5 billion  losses

Barely a month since the super El Niño started, agricultural losses from the El Niño have reached more than P6.539 billion, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Citing DA data, the NDRRMC said the losses cover about 159,211 metric tons of totally and partially damaged crops.

Cagayan Valley recorded the biggest share with more than P4.967 billion in agricultural losses, followed by the Cordillera Administrative Region with P934.9 million and the Davao Region with P410 million.

The Zamboanga Peninsula reported P95.8 million in losses, followed by Bicol with P37.4 million and Central Visayas with P22.7 million.

Other affected regions include Caraga with P22 million, Calabarzon with P19.7 million, Soccsksargen with P12.5 million, Central Luzon with more than P1.8 million and Western Visayas with over P1.8 million.

As of Tuesday, the NDRRMC reported that 215,386 farmers and fisherfolk had been affected by the dry conditions in their farms and fishing grounds.

About 451,889 people have also been affected across various provinces, while 109 cities and municipalities have been placed under a state of calamity.

In response, the government has provided more than P46.4 million in food and non-food assistance to 36,275 affected families.

Inflation

The worsening dry conditions could drive up consumer prices and weigh on economic growth, Chinabank Research warned.

In a report, the bank estimated that inflation could exceed eight percent under a severe El Niño scenario.

“We expect inflation to peak in the fourth quarter of 2026 and remain below eight percent in our baseline, although a severe El Niño could push it above that level,” Chinabank said.

The bank said reduced production of rice, corn and other crops would likely be the most immediate source of price pressures.

Higher electricity demand and constraints on water and hydropower supplies could also contribute to inflation.

“With inflation already elevated, a more severe El Niño remains a key upside risk to our inflation outlook,” the bank noted, adding that while earlier interest rate increases could help contain second-round price pressures, monetary tightening has limited ability to address inflation driven by supply disruptions. - Keisha Ta-asan, Michael Punongbayan, Josiah Antonio, Mark Ernest Villeza, Rainier Allan Ronda, Evelyn Macairan