Philippines
Last Updated : 09 April 2025.
The Philippines is an archipelagic country with a tropical and monsoon climate endowed with coastal bays, rivers, lakes, and groundwater. It has abundant water resources with water availability of 5,302 m³/year/capita, which varies according to topography and season.
State of water environment
River basins are classified according to size by the National Water Resources Board (NWRB). Around 421 river basins have catchment areas of over 40 km². There are 18 with areas of over 1,400 km² (typologically classified as major river basins), which in occupy over a third (108,923 km²) of the total land area. Owing to their significance for industry, agriculture and domestic uses and ecological stability, the government considers the protection and conservation of these rivers a high priority for overall socio-economic development and sustainability.
According to a report from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Department of Agriculture (DA), there are 79 natural lakes in the Philippines, which are utilized for fish production. Ten of the lakes are considered as major hosts for aquaculture production, including Laguna Lake (Laguna de Bay), the largest inland freshwater body in the Philippines. Since there are numerous islands, the marine waters cover an area of about 266,000 km2, with a coastline length of 36,289 km. Around 70% of municipalities are located in coastal areas. Surface water is the main water source for the country. Another important source of water for domestic supply, irrigation, and industrial uses is in the form of an extensive groundwater reservoir.
The rapid increases in population, urbanization, and industrial development have led to water quality degradation and deterioration. Figure below shows the four key sources of water pollution. Water classification (or reclassification) based on the water quality criteria serves as the benchmark for maintaining or improving the state of water quality management in the Philippines. In 2019, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) completed its classification of 898 water bodies based on their use (such as public water supply, agricultural, aquacultural, commercial, industrial, navigational, recreational, wildlife conservation and aesthetic purposes) and water quality to be maintained (EMB 2019).
Please read: Outlook 2024 Philippines
Legal framework
The Philippines has an extensive body of water-related legislation that provides the legal basis for policies and regulations concerning water resource management. The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 (Republic Act No. 9275 (RA 9275)) provides a comprehensive and Integrated strategy to prevent and minimize pollution through a multi-sectoral and participatory approach involving all stakeholders. The Act aims to protect the country’s water bodies from pollution from land-based sources (industries and commercial establishments, agriculture, and community/household activities). The Act applies to water quality management in all water bodies, abatement and control of pollution from land-based sources, and enforcement of water quality standards, regulations and penalties.
Under Section 5 of the above Act, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in coordination with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) designate Water Quality Management Areas (WQMA) using appropriate physiographic units such as watersheds, river basins or water resource regions. As such, WQMA have similar hydrological, hydrogeological, meteorological or geographic conditions which affect the physiochemical, biological and bacteriological reactions and diffusion of pollutants in the water bodies, or otherwise share common interests or follow similar development programs or have similar prospects or problems. Governing boards, composed of relevant stakeholders in each WQMA and chaired by DENR regional offices, are responsible for the development of strategies to coordinate policies, regulations/local legislation, and other measures necessary to effectively implement the Clean Water Act.
The Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016 (DAO 2016-08) provide guidelines for the classification of water bodies in the country, determination of time trends and the evaluation of stages of deterioration/enhancement in water quality, and evaluation of the need for taking action in preventing, controlling, or abating water pollution.
Other legislations related to water environmental conservation are the Philippines Environmental Policy (PD 1151) and the Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003). EMB is the governmental agency responsible for water conservation and protection.
- The Philippine Environmental Policy (Presidential Decree No.1151) (Outside source: LawPhil)
- The Water Code of The Philippines (Outside source: LawPhil)
- The Philippine Clean Water Act (Republic Act No. 9275) (Outside source: LawPhil)
- Ecological Solid Waste Management Act No. 9003 of 2000 (Outside source: LawPhil)
- The Environmental Impact Statement System (Presidential Decree No. 1586) (Outside source: LawPhil)
Institutional Arrangement
| Name of the agency | Mandates of the agency |
| Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) | The primary government agency responsible for the conservation, management, development, and proper use of the country’s environment and natural resources. |
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To administer/enforce the Water code and serves as the lead coordinator for water resources management programs. |
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To formulate, integrate, coordinate, supervise, and implement all policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities relative to the prevention and control of pollution as well as management and enhancement of environment |
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To formulate/implement policies and programs for the protection, development, occupancy management, and conservation of forest lands and watershed areas. |
| Department of Agriculture | |
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To undertake water resource projects for agricultural irrigation and other purposes, such as flood control and drainage. |
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To formulate/implement policies and programs for the protection of existing and potential sources of soil and water for agricultural development. |
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To establish plans for the proper protection and management of the country’s fisheries and aquatics resources. |
| Department of Health (DOH) | Administers compliance of the country’s National Standard for Drinking Water Program. |
| Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) | Administer the implementation of the country’s National Water Supply and Sanitation Program and mandated to oversee the attainment of the country’s SDG goal on access to safe drinking water by all. |
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To provide capacity building programs for Local; Government Units (LGUs) in preparing local water supply and sanitation plans as well as providing information on available sector programs, and facilitating access to financing for water supply and sanitation projects. |
| Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) | Primary agency for implementing the country’s national Sewerage and Septage Management. |
| National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) | To coordinate the preparation of national/regional/sectorial development policies and investment programs, including those on sanitation. |
| National Power Corporation (NPC) | To develop and manage electric generation facilities including (but not limited to) hydroelectric dams and undertakes other activities related to watershed management. |
| Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) | Administers governance of MM area development such as infrastructure development, law enforcement of environmental laws—solid waste management, Clean Water Act, Water Code of the Philippines, Clean Air Act, etc. |
| Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) | To regulate water concessionaires’ rates and services standards in Metro Manila and maintains existing assets and infrastructures. |
| Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) | Coordinate and integrate, and monitor the implementation of all Government Agencies plans, and programs for the rehabilitation of Pasig river. |
| Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) | To formulate, regulate and implement all policies, plans, programs, projects and activities relative to the prevention and control of pollution as well as management and enhancement of environment in Laguna Lake Region. |
| Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) | To promote, finance, and regulate the operation and construction of local water utilities outside Metro Manila. |
| Local Government Units (LGUs) | Administer/management of rivers within the jurisdiction of the LGUs and implement Ecological Solid Waste Management Act within its area of political and jurisdictional responsibility. |