The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has reduced water costs by more than 50 percent for some of the country’s most isolated villages through its Water Resources Management Office (WRMO), officials said.

In a recent report, the department stated that local water districts in Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Leyte, Negros Oriental and Cagayan received high-grade refilling equipment. The upgrades established a fixed rate of P15 for five-gallon bottles.

In other provinces including Romblon, Sorsogon, Occidental Mindoro, Bohol and Zamboanga, the agency’s Water Filtration Program has lowered the price of clean water to between P20 and P25.

Residents in those areas previously paid between P50 and P75.

Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the initiatives follow instructions from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to improve water processing and 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 said.

The water management office was formed 27 April 2023, under Executive Order 22. The office is designed to harmonize government conservation efforts and establish sustainable water sources.

Among the completed projects is the Infiltration Gallery Project, which filters subsurface river flows to provide an alternative water source. The project is expected to benefit approximately 79,420 people.

The office has been allocated P256.9 million for 2026. Plans for the year include establishing 13 additional water districts and 11 spring water systems, as well as deploying high-performance filtration systems to 59 barangays.

By the end of 2026, the office expects to provide services to a total of 440,904 beneficiaries.