PHILIPPINES’ WATER

RESOURCES
(Do we have enough?)

PICE Mid-Year
June 2019
 Presentation Outline
• Philippines Water Resources
• Institutions
• Potential and Availability
• Constraints and Utilization
• The Water Challenge
• Climate Change and Resiliency
• Managing our important resource
Water is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and
nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the
main constituent of Earth's streams, lakes, and
oceans, and the fluids of most living organisms. It
is vital for all known forms of life, even though it
provides no calories or organic nutrients. Its
chemical formula is H2O, meaning that each of its
molecules contains one oxygen and two
hydrogen atoms, connected by covalent bonds.
Wikipedia June 2019
WATER IS AT THE CORE NATIONAL WATER
OF SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES BOARD
DEVELOPMENT Country’s Water
(The Future We Want, UN Resource and
2012 ) Economic Regulator
SAGANA AT LIGTAS NA
National Irrigation
TUBIG SA LAHAT Systems and Projects
(SALINTUBIG) Program

WATER IS HYDROPOWER
LIFE SYSTEMS, DAMS
& RESERVOIRS, Small
Power Utilities
WATER & Generations
SANITATION serving
Metro Manila, parts of
Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and NEDA
Bulacan
WATER
• Traditionally regarded by man as an
inexhaustible resource
• Readily available ???
• “The Philippines is endowed with
abundant water supply”
 THE PHILIPPINES
No. of Islands 7,107
Regions (Adm.) 17
Provinces 81
Cities 145
HUCs 33
Municipalities 1,489
Barangays 42,036
Total Area (km2) 300,000
Land 298,170
Water 1,830
 1
Annual Average Two pronounced seasons: Dry
Rainfall from November to April, wet
= 2,400 mm during the rest of the year
Maximum Annual
= 5,000 mm

2
No dry season with a very
Minimum Annual = pronounced rainfall from
< 1,000 mm November to January and wet
during the rest of the year.

3
Seasons are not very
pronounced; relatively dry from
November to April, wet during
the rest of the year.

4 Rainfall is more or less evenly

distributed through the year.
The Philippines is one of the countries blessed with abundance of
this natural resource . . . (but). . it tends to be available in the wrong
place, in the wrong time, and in the wrong quality
(Philippines Water Resources, First National Assessment, NWRC, Report No. 19, December 1976)

2,400 mm annual rainfall

Surface water 126 BCM
Groundwater ± 50 BCM
(Recharge) ±20 BCM
421 Principal River Basins
18 Major River Basins
12 Water Resources Regions

Surface Water Availability

12 WATER RESOURCES REGIONS 18 MAJOR RIVER BASINS
 WATER RESOURCES PER WRR (MCM/year)
Water REGION GW SW TOTAL %
1 ILOCOS REGION 1,248 3,250 4,498 27.75

2 CAGAYAN VALLEY 2,825 8,510 11,335 24.92

3 CENTRAL LUZON 1,721 7,890 9,611 17.91

SOUTHERN
4 1,410 6,370 7,780 18.12
TAGALOG
5 BICOL REGION 1,085 3,060 4,145 26.18

6 WESTERN VISAYAS 1,144 14,200 15,344 7.46

7 CENTRAL VISAYAS 879 2,060 2,939 29.91

8 EASTERN VISAYAS 2,557 9,350 11,907 21.47

WESTERN
9 1,082 12,100 13,182 8.21
MINDANAO
NORTHERN
10 2,116 29,000 31,116 6.80
MINDANAO
SOUTHEASTERN
11 2,375 11,300 13,675 17.37
MINDANAO
SOUTHERN
12 1,758 18,700 20,458 8.59
MINDANAO
TOTAL 20,200 125,790 145,990 13.84
MINDANAO, REGIONAL WATER RESOURCES
• Eight (8) major river
basins
• Six (6) water resources
regions
• Six (6) administrative
regions, BARMM included
• 97,530 km2 land area
• 25.4 M population

RAINFALL (mm) WATER (MCM)

Max 2,197 GW 7,331

Min 1,739 SW 71,100
Ave 2,134 SUM 78,431
 MAJOR RIVER BASINS IN MINDANAO
RIVER BASIN REGION1 DA (km2)
Agusan
1 Mindanao X, XI, XII, 21,503
BARMM
Tagoloan
Cagayan de Oro 2 Agusan XI, XIII 11,936
Ranao-Agus 3 Tagum-Libuganon XI, XIII 3,064
4 Tagoloan X 1,704
5 Ranao-Agus BARMM, X 1,645
Mindanao
Davao 6 DAVAO X, XI 1,623

Tagum-Libuganon 7 Buayan-Malungan XI, XII 1,620

8 Cagayan de Oro X 1,371
Buayan-Malungan
TOTAL
 REGION 11* WATSAN STATISTICS

Population (2015) 4.69 M

Water Supply Coverage (PSA 2015) 94 %
Sanitation Coverage (PSA 2015) 88 %
Water Supply Target (National) 95%
Sanitation Target (National) 97.5%
Local Government Structure
Highly Urbanized City 1
Cities (Independent) 5
Municipalities 43
Barangays 1,162
Provinces 5
Annual Average Rainfall 2,605 mm
Surface Water Sources (eg Rivers)
Major River Basins 2
Water Resources Regions 2
Surface Water Dependable Water 9,188
Supply MCM
G-Water Deposit (50,000 sq km) ±2,800 MCM
Note: Water Resources Region 11 includes Surigao del Sur G-Water Re-charge 1,932 MCM
HYRO-METEOROLOGICAL & GROUNDWATER INFORMATION – WRR 11
Surigao del Sur is in Southeastern Mindanao WRR 11, but is part of Caraga (Region 13)
DAVAO RB MANAGEMENT ALLIANCE
 THE PHILIPPINES
• With 2,400 mm of average
annual rainfall
• 300,000 sq km of land area
• Coastline of 36,289 kilometers
• 20-22 typhoons a year
• 46% of forest & wetlands, 35%
of arable, crop and pastures
• Population of 105.3 M (2018),
100.7 (2015)

DO (or WILL) WE HAVE ENOUGH??

DO WE HAVE ENOUGH ?
18 critical watersheds
20 – Luzon*
3 – Visayas
5 – Mindanao
*1 – Mindoro, 1 - Palawan

6 WRR’s Hotspots

Pasig Laguna (IV)

Cebu Island (VII)
Pampanga (III)
Agno (III)
Cagayan Valley (II)
Western Visayas (VI)
 Philippines Water
Resources

2,400 mm rainfall
146,000 MCM
126,000 SW
20,000 GW(recharge)

Year Population CM/year CM/day

2015 100.981 1,445.82 3.961
2020 111.088 1,314.27 3.601
2025 122.31 1,193.69 3.270
2030 134.922 1,082.11 2.965
Hydrologists* typically assess
scarcity by looking at the
population-water equation.
• water stress when annual
water supplies drop below
1,700 m3 per person.
• water scarcity when annual
water supplies drop below
1,000 m3 per person
• Water scarcity when annual
water availability falls below
500 m3 ‘absolute scarcity.’”
*UN World Water Development Report
In 2015, with a population
of 100.9 M, annual water
resource per capita is
1,446 MCM/year
In 2020, population of
111 M, annual water
resource per capita is
1,314 MCM/year
In 2025, population of
122 M, it’s 1,193 MCM
per capita peryear
 SALINE WATER IN OCEANS: 97.2%

ICE CAPS AND GLACIERS: 2.14%

GROUNDWATER: 0.61%

SURFACE WATER: 0.009%

SOIL MOISTURE: 0.005%

ATMOSPHERE: 0.001%

Water supply
Globally, water is used:
• 70% for agriculture, 22% for industry, 8% for
“personal” (OR domestic OR municipal)
• AGRICULTURE: 1.5 liters per second per hectare for average
Filipino rice farm; 1,500 liter per kilogram of wheat; 15,000
liters per kilogram of beef
• INDUSTRIAL: produce and transport products,
manufacturing, coolant in factories; refineries
• “PERSONAL” or “MUNICIPAL” or “DOMESTIC”: 80 to 160
liters per capita per day in the Philippines – drinking,
bathing, laundry to include water theft, leakage and
wastage OR NON-REVENUE WATER
AND WHAT ABOUT WASTEWATER??

60 - 85% of water consumed becomes wastewater

 WATER UTILIZATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
(Water Rights Granted, NWRB 2017)

Municipal,
3.44% Industrial
5.6%

Irrigation
29%

Hydropower Fisheries, Recreation, Groundwater, 2%

61% Others 0.56% Surface Water, 28%
HYDROPOWER & RECREATION are “NON-CONSUMPTIVE USES
 Water Utilization in Region 11
(Water Rights from NWRB)

Municipal
4.24% Industrial
Hydropower
3.83%
37.32%

Others
0.61% Irrigation
54%
Groundwater, 17 %
Surface Water, 83 %
Why is water resources
management critical?
 THE GLOBAL WATER CHALLENGE
• Water security remains a challenge for many countries
today; complex water issues – population, economic
growth, unprecedented pressures on water.
• Water-related hazards, including floods, storms, and
droughts, 9 out of 10 natural disasters.
• With the current population growth & water
management practices, world will face a 40% shortfall in
forecast demand & available supply by 2030.
• 70% of global water withdrawals are for agriculture. In
2050, 9 billion people will require a 60% increase in
agricultural production with 15% increase in water
withdrawals.
THE GLOBAL WATER CHALLENGE
• The world needs more water for energy generation,
although today, over 1.3 billion people still lack access to
electricity.
• More than half of the world’s population are in urban areas
with numbers growing fast.
• Groundwater is being depleted faster than being
replenished. By 2025, about 1.8 billion people will be living
in regions or countries with absolute water scarcity.
• Growing populations, rising incomes, expanding cities will
cause demand rising exponentially, while supply becomes
more erratic and uncertain.
Potential Climate Change Impacts
• Extreme heating
events
• Increasing ocean
temperature
• Extreme rainfall
events
• Disturbed water
budget
• Sea level rise
 Cluster I – extreme heating
events, sea level rise

Cluster II – extreme heating

events, extreme rainfall Cluster X – extreme heating
events, disturbed water events, increasing ocean
budget, sea level rise temperature, extreme rainfall
events, disturbed water budget,
sea level rise
Cluster III– extreme
heating events, disturbed Cluster IX – extreme heating
water budget, sea level events, extreme rainfall events,
rise disturbed water budget, sea level
rise

Cluster IV – extreme heating

events, sea level rise
Cluster VIII – extreme
heating events,
increasing ocean
Cluster XI – sea level rise temperature, extreme
rainfall events, sea level
rise
Cluster V – extreme rainfall
events, sea level rise
Cluster VII – extreme
heating events, increasing
ocean events, sea level rise
Cluster VI – sea level rise
 Probable Typhoon Tracks
MAY
FEBRUARY

Very Frequent
32%

NOVEMBER
OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER
Frequent AUGUST

16% DECEMBER
JULY
MARCH
JUNE
JANUARY
Frequent
19%

APRIL

Less Frequent
7%

Rare
1%

Source: Study for the Preparation of Flood Control Manual for DPWH TSG, 2003
Philippines’ Water Resources
• 2,400 mm of average rainfall over 343,000 sq
km, of which 298,000 is GW recharge area
• 421 principal and 18 major river basins
• 479 billion cubic meters can be drawn
• Dependable water source 146 BCM (126
surface, 20 groundwater)
• 87 BCM water rights for consumptive use
Philippines’ Water Resources
• Of 3,019,609 hectares of potential
irrigable area, only 1,721, 177 hectare
(57.33%) serve
• 360,912 hectares have dysfunctional
and aging canals
• Irrigation efficiency is at 50% (max)
with most canals and laterals earthen,
unlined, significant losses
Philippines’ Water Resources
• Country’s total installed capacity as of 2015 is
18,765 MW
• Hydropower comprises only 19.2% of country’s
installed capacity
• Out of potential14,500 MW installed capacity of
renewable energies, only 7,014 MW realized
• Potentially some 7,900 MW installed capacity
through Hydro - Renewables
 Philippines’ Water Resources
• Increasing frequency and intensity of flood
occurrence
• Rapid urbanization
• Climate Change
• Unclear delineation of responsibilities between
LGUs and National Agencies in terms of flood
management & drainage structures
• Flood prone areas in Regions I, II, III, VI, XII, XIII
and ARMM
 Philippines’ Water Resources
% of Population No. of People Level 1: Unsafe Sources
Level 3 44.1% 44.5 Million • Dug well;
Level 2 11.2% 11.3 Million • Unprotected spring, river,
Level 1 - safe 32.4% 32.7 Million stream;
Total - Safe 87.7% • Lake, rain and others; &
Level 1 - unsafe 12.3% 12.4 Million • Peddler
Total 100.00% 100.98 Million

People without access to safe water

5 in 10 people in ARMM
3 in 10 in Western Visayas
2 in 10 in Bicol and Cagayan Valley
2 in 10 in Western Mindanao
INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Hydro’l Environ’l Socio-Eco

Politics Economy Society
System System System

Land Water Water Water Fresh Coastal

Use Use Quantity Quality Water Water

Surface Ground Up Down Domestic Other

Water Water stream stream Use Uses

Source: Achieving Water Security Through Integrated Water Resources Management, GWP, PWP
 “Everybody lives Downstream”

Due to about 30
government agencies
with overlapping functions
involved in water, the
approach to water
resource management
has been fragmented as
opposed to an integrated
approach or IWRM

• Water is intrinsically related to land resources

• Water transcends political boundaries
 WHAT CAN BE DONE
A wholistic planning approach, IWRM, river basin integrated
planning
Optimize supply, finite water source
- Rainwater harvesting
- Reservoirs
- Small dams, impounding structures, detention/retention
basins
Water systems efficiency
- Demand side management
- Non-revenue water reduction
- Irrigation efficiencies
Sanitation practices, wastewater re-use
Water Resources development involves ...
Conception, planning, design, construction,
operation of facilities (to control & utilize
water)

IT IS GENERALLY, A FUNCTION
OF CIVIL ENGINEERS . .
But services of specialists in natural and social sciences are required -
POLITICAL SCIENTISTS, SOCIOLOGISTS, GEOLOGISTS, ELECTRICAL
& MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, AGRICULTURISTS, MARINE SCIENTISTS,
CHEMISTS, BIOLOGISTS, ECONOMISTS, FINANCIAL ANALYSTS . . . .
 CIVIL ENGINEERING *

The Services THE INFRASTRUCTURES

• Consultations, research,
investigations, reports • Streets, bridges, highways
• Design services for and railroads
• Airports and hangars
construction projects
• Portworks, canals, river
• Construction services and shore improvements,
• Special services for lighthouses and drydocks
construction projects • Buildings
• Engineering support • Fixed structures for
services irrigation, flood protection,
• Academic services drainage, water supply
• Services as employee and sewerage works
• Tunnels

* Manual of Professional Practice for Civil Engineers, PICE

END OF PRESENTATION