Around 40 million Filipinos lack access to clean and potable water, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Tuesday, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the agency to improve water resource management across the country.

At the sectoral meeting on the country's water resources and management, Marcos reiterated the importance of an integrated water resource master plan and the management of water resources during El Niño while mitigating floods during La Niña.

In a Palace briefing after the sectoral meeting, DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David said 5,500 out of more than 7,600 islands in the country have no access to fresh water.

He added that many communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) still do not have access to a formal water supply.

"The directive of the President this morning was very clear – 40 million of our residents 'no, Filipinos do not have access to a formal water supply. They still access water from springs, from creeks, some even rainwater 'no – they rely on rainwater for drinking water purposes," David said.

"While we have big projects in line for large cities such as Bacolod, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Tarlac City and so on, we have to focus on the 40 million underserved population and there are a few strategies that we have in mind in order for us to provide water to these communities," David added.

Last year, Marcos signed an executive order establishing the Water Management Office within the DENR.

Their mapping and inventory revealed that 20 million people are served by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), 22 million by water districts, 20 million by local government unit-run utilities, and 10 million by private water suppliers.

However, the agency found that millions of Filipinos nationwide still needed proper supply despite the country being an archipelagic nation.

"The first strategy we've considered for the small island barangays, and which is already in place, is to provide them with fresh water, drinking water, through the desalination process," David said. 

A desalination system could convert saltwater into potable water.

David added that the government is considering procuring modular desalination plants for some 60 villages in the country.

David said that the Philippine government is looking at suppliers from Israel, the Netherlands, and Singapore.

He also said that the government plans to pay for the tools with national funds and "soft loans."

He added that there are already portable desalination machines being used in 20 island barangays.

David also said that a large-scale desalination plant would soon open in Cebu.

He acknowledged that while desalination is traditionally expensive, technological advancements have made it more feasible through modular systems.

He added that these modular desalination systems, which are the size of a container van, can provide water to up to around 500 families with each desalination plant.

When asked about the cost per plant, David said it is "roughly P5 million to P8 million" per plant.

While Marcos did not give a deadline for the distribution of the desalination equipment, David said it should be done "right away."