Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Article (news)

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<p>PUERTO GALERA – Local officials in the tourism town of Puerto Galera are appealing to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the national government for urgent assistance to address a worsening water crisis that has left several communities dependent on rationing and prompted the declaration of a state of calamity.</p><p>Vice Mayor Rocky Ilagan said the municipality has repeatedly sought national government support since 2023 to rehabilitate its aging water system and develop a sustainable solution to the town&#x27;s recurring water shortage.</p><p>&quot;Kaya talagang humihingi kami ng tulong sa national government, sa ating mahal na President na matulungan kami na maisaayos,&quot; Ilagan said in an interview on DZMM on Saturday.</p><p>&quot;Matagal na namin ito idinudulog sa national government, since 2023 pa, 2024, idinudulog na namin ito sa kanila. Taon-taon ay idinudulog namin ito sa national government na kami naman ay tulungan na marehabilitate ang aming patubig,&quot; he added.</p><p>Puerto Galera, one of the country&#x27;s top beach destinations, experiences water shortages almost every dry season as the mountain springs that supply much of the municipality&#x27;s water dry up. This year&#x27;s crisis has worsened due to the prolonged effects of El Niño, affecting both residents and the town&#x27;s tourism-dependent economy.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/7/4/puerto-galera-lgu-pushes-for-ferry-fare-rollback-as-fuel-costs-decline-0608">READ: Puerto Galera LGU pushes for ferry fare rollback as fuel costs decline</a></div><p>On June 15, the Sangguniang Bayan placed Puerto Galera under a state of calamity as the water shortage intensified, allowing the local government to access emergency funds and implement faster response measures.</p><p>The municipal government has since stepped up water rationing, with fire trucks from the Bureau of Fire Protection and local water tankers delivering potable water to affected communities.</p><p>Water service has already been restored in parts of Sitio Sulis in Barangay Balatero and White Beach in Barangay San Isidro after the repair of several deep wells.</p><p>However, residents in Barangays Sinandigan, Palangan, and Sabang continue to experience inadequate water supply.</p><p>To help identify additional water sources, specialists from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) have began conducting georesistivity surveys to locate suitable sites for new groundwater-fed deep wells.</p><p>Ilagan said constructing additional deep wells remains the municipality&#x27;s preferred long-term solution, stressing that the local government wants to maintain control of its water system instead of turning operations over to a private concessionaire.</p><p>Local officials have expressed concern that privatizing water services could result in higher water rates for residents.</p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/6/17/puerto-galera-declares-state-of-calamity-over-fresh-water-crisis-0015">READ: Puerto Galera declares state of calamity over fresh water crisis</a></div><p>To support ongoing relief operations, the Oriental Mindoro provincial government has released P1.062 million in financial assistance to Puerto Galera.</p><p>Governor Humerlito &quot;Bonz&quot; Dolor said the funds will primarily be used to purchase fuel for water tankers deployed in the municipality&#x27;s water rationing operations and to support other emergency response efforts.</p><p>Despite the ongoing emergency measures, Ilagan said the municipality needs a permanent rehabilitation of its water system to prevent the same crisis from recurring every summer.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3T_y-UcGBCE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Local officials in the tourism town of Puerto Galera are appealing to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the national government for urgent assistance to address a worsening water crisis that has left several communities dependent on rationing and prompted the declaration of a state of calamity.</p>

Local officials in the tourism town of Puerto Galera are appealing to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the national government for urgent assistance to address a worsening water crisis that has left several communities dependent on rationing and prompted the declaration of a state of calamity.

Drought-hit Puerto Galera appeals to Marcos for long-term solution to worsening water crisis

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Drought-hit Puerto Galera appeals to Marcos for long-term solution to worsening water crisis

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 04, 2026 02:00 PM PHT

Read More:

WATER CRISIS

PUERTO GALERA

EL NIÑO

STATE OF CALAMITY

PRESIDENT MARCOS

VICE MAYOR ROCKY ILAGAN

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