05/10/2026
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝐥 𝐍𝐢ñ𝐨'𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰.
According to NWRB Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. and Special Envoy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Toni Yulo-Loyzaga, while there is no immediate shortage, the worst months of El Niño are expected in the first quarter of 2027. They added that the country has the capacity to cope if resources are managed responsibly.
A few practical conservation measures are the following:
1. Collect rainwater in drums or tanks for flushing, cleaning, and watering plants.
2. Fix leaks. A dripping faucet or running toilet can waste hundreds of liters a month.
3. Shorten showers and turn off the tap while brushing, shaving, or soaping.
4. Reuse water. Use rinse water for flushing or cleaning, and wash full loads of laundry only.
5. Water plants early or late in the day, and use a pail instead of a hose.
6. Save energy too. Water and power conservation go hand in hand.
We ask all consumers to report leaks, broken pipes, or illegal connections to our hotline. Water security is a shared responsibility. No single household, business, or water district can face El Niño alone. When each of us does our part, from the family fixing a leaky faucet to water district maintaining its pipelines, the savings add up to a stronger buffer for everyone.
WATER SUPPLY STABLE THROUGH CHRISTMAS, BUT EVERY DROP CONSERVED NOW HELPS PH SURVIVE EL NIÑO'S WORST
SITREP: Metro Manila's water supply is stable and sufficient through Christmas and beyond, but residents should begin conserving water and harvesting rainwater now.
This is not because of an immediate shortage, but this is because the worst months of El Niño are expected in the first quarter of 2027, and every drop preserved today extends the buffer that will be needed then, NWRB Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. and Special Envoy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Toni Yulo-Loyzaga said Thursday.
Both officials gave the same assurance in an interview on DZRH News program "The Situation Report" on Thursday, October 1, responding to a question about whether Metro Manila residents should be worried.
David said the habagat season has recharged the major dams that had dipped dangerously low during the previous summer, and that current storage levels are projected to last through next year even under a do-nothing scenario.
"Sa ngayon po, kung walang ulan sa dalawang buwan o tatlong buwan na walang ulan, sa tingin po natin 'yung kasalukuyang pag-recover po ng mga dams po natin ay aabot 'yan hanggang sa susunod na taon," David said.
He said residents who want to store water should collect rainwater rather than hoarding tap water from their faucets, because rainwater harvesting creates an alternative source that reduces demand on the dams without depleting the supply already stored in them.
Yulo-Loyzaga added that conservation of both water and energy must begin now, emphasizing that the country has the capacity to cope if it manages its natural resources responsibly, and that the message applies equally to households, companies, and local governments.
"'Yung message is talaga pong water conservation, energy conservation, energy efficiency. Sana po maayos-ayos 'yung sa kabahayan po natin," the special envoy said.
"We need to trust in each other and trust in the science, kasi po we have the capacity to cope and we have the capacity to respond," she said.
