DENR moves to cut red tape in water projects rollout

Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna on Thursday, 19 March 2026, ordered an aggressive push to streamline water regulation processes to accelerate infrastructure rollout in underserved areas.

Cuna said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is empowering regional offices to act as “permitting accelerators” and is setting up one-stop kiosks to allow communities to track applications and access technical data more efficiently.

Speaking at the 2026 World Water Day event, Cuna described the country’s water situation as a “system check,” warning of a growing imbalance between supply and demand.

"Look at your kitchen tap: does it have the steady pressure of a reliable machine, or is it showing the signs of a failing system?" Cuna said.

He added that the country is facing “water bankruptcy,” where consumption outpaces natural replenishment.

P485M roadmap targets water-stressed areas

To address the issue, the DENR’s Water Resources Management Office is implementing the final phase of a ₱485 million roadmap focused on expanding access in water-stressed regions.

The 2026 plan targets 59 barangays in provinces including Bohol, Palawan, Cebu and Masbate, with key projects centered on improving water access and affordability.

These include the installation of desalination and freshwater filtration systems, which aim to reduce water costs to ₱20 to ₱25 per container from the previous ₱50 to ₱70.

The agency also proposed financial assistance for 13 additional water districts to extend services to remote barangays, while 25 sites are set to receive water refilling equipment offering potable water at a fixed price of ₱16 per container.

Eight infiltration gallery projects are also scheduled for completion by December 2026. These systems use subsurface river flow to provide naturally filtered and climate-resilient water sources in provinces such as Occidental Mindoro and Ilocos Norte.

In upland communities, 11 additional barangay systems will be completed across Kalinga, Benguet and Sarangani, with installations integrating micro-hydropower components to deliver both water and energy.

Monitoring, governance upgrades

The DENR is also conducting georesistivity surveys in 28 priority sites to identify groundwater resources before drilling.

Cuna said the approach “reduces uncertainty and minimizes potential risks.”

The agency is also set to launch the National Water Information and Monitoring System, supported by a geospatial database, to track surface and groundwater use nationwide.

Focus on inclusive water management

Aligned with this year’s theme, “Isang Agos para sa Karapatan at Pagkakapantay-pantay,” the roadmap also emphasizes women’s role in water management.

"Putting women at the center of solutions makes those solutions stick," Cuna said, noting plans to support women-led cooperatives and leadership roles in river basin councils.

"Investment in water infrastructure, a basic utility, is not only cost-effective but sustainable in the long term," he added.

Cuna called for a collective effort to improve water systems and ensure long-term water security for the country.