Due to severe water shortage on 11 of its barangays, the local government has declared the town of Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro under State of Calamity on 19 June 2026.
According to Resolution no. 3 S. 2026 issued by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), the said severe water shortage caused by the El Niño phenomenon has put the town under State of Calamity.
The resolution, according to Governor Humerlito Dolor, will provide financial assistance of P1-million to procure hoses and fuel in delivering fresh water to the town.
Aside from this, the PDRRMC will allot P250,000 as monthly assistance to Puerto Galera until the supply of water returns to normal.
Some of the issues that caused the prolonged dry spell include months of extreme heat and the compounding effects of El Niño that have depleted natural reserves.
Another cause is the drying watersheds such as mountain natural springs, which serve as the town's primary water source, have drastically dropped.
Local officials had to stop utilizing national government deep-well pumps because water quality tests proved the water unfit for human consumption.
The shortage is heavily impacting an estimated 25,000 residents across 11 of the town's 13 barangays.