Camille Naredo

Residents line up to fill buckets and drums from a water tanker amid a water crisis in Real, Quezon, July 5, 2026. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

WATER

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783265624849viber_image_2026-07-05_23-01-26-897.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><p>REAL, Quezon - For nearly two months, residents of Real, Quezon have been enduring intermittent water supply, with many households receiving only a trickle of water—or none at all—as a severe drought continues to cripple the town’s water sources.</p><p>Many families now rely solely on water deliveries from the local government to meet their daily needs. </p><p>Whenever a water tanker arrives, long lines quickly form as residents rush to fill buckets, pails, and drums.</p><p>Marilou Francisco, a resident of a Gawad Kalinga community, managed to fill two drums, but said the supply would still not be enough for her family’s needs.</p><p>“Pang isang araw lang ito, dalawang araw eh wala na naman tubig. Malaking tulong ito at sana ay laging may tubig, mawala na ang ilaw, huwag lang ang tubig,” she said.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/7/3/el-nino-set-to-be-strong-un-warns-1207"><strong>El Nino set to be strong, UN warns </strong></a></div><p>Another resident, Yolanda Pangsahula, said the daily struggle of fetching water has left her arms in constant pain, making the arrival of water trucks a huge relief. </p><p>“Kung hindi kami nirarasyonan ng tubig hindi kami magkakatubig. Kahit gabi ako ay pagala-gala para lang makakuha ng tubig. Kung saan-saan na lang bahay-bahay na may tulo na gripo ay kami ay nanghihingi,” she said.</p><p>“Mahirap talaga, ako nga ay naiyak at masakit na ang aking  braso, mamatay-matay na ako pagbitbit ng timba ng tubig. Ako ay nagpapakahirap talaga para lang magkaroon ng tubig.” </p><p>When no water deliveries are available, residents head to the river to wash clothes and collect water for household use.</p><p>“Sa ilog kami naglalaba, yung ganito panghugas lang namin, pang cr, nakakaligo pa po kapag mayroon tubig  kapag wala hindi na naliligo,” said Alma Rodriguez, a resident of Barangay Ungos. </p><p>But even the river they depend on is now drying up under the scorching heat.</p><p>The Kinanliman River also serves as the main water source for Real’s local water system. However, the town’s water reservoir is now nearly empty as the river continues to dry up. </p><p>The local government has installed water pumps to draw whatever water remains from the river in an effort to restore at least minimal water flow to households, but officials admit the supply is still far from sufficient.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783265657372viber_image_2026-07-05_23-01-22-722.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Residents line up to fill buckets and drums from a water tanker amid a water crisis in Real, Quezon, July 5, 2026. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Residents line up to fill buckets and drums from a water tanker amid a water crisis in Real, Quezon, July 5, 2026. <em>Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Mayor Julie Ann Macasaet said the municipality has long struggled with inadequate water infrastructure, but the El Niño-induced drought has pushed the situation into a full-blown crisis.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/7/4/drought-hit-puerto-galera-appeals-to-marcos-for-long-term-solution-to-water-crisis-1400"><strong>Drought-hit Puerto Galera appeals to Marcos for long-term solution to worsening water crisis </strong></a> </div><p>To address the worsening shortage, the mayor has created a Municipal Water Crisis Task Force to fast-track solutions and improve the town’s water system. </p><p>“Bumuo po tayo ng Municipal Water Crisis Task Force para po aralin talaga kung paano po natin papabilisin ang progreso dito po sa patubig, yung paglalaan po ng pondo para mas maging mabilis,” Macasaet said.</p><p>She also appealed for urgent assistance from the national government.</p><p>“Kailangan po natin ng tulong from national para mapabilis po talaga dahil kapag nakikita po natin ang mga kababayan natin yung mga bata talagang nagkakaroon na rin sila ng mga sugat sa init, tapos hindi nakakapaligo, may mga matatanda na napupuyat na rin sa pagpupuno ng tubig,” she added. </p><p>With support from the Quezon provincial government, construction of a deep well is now underway in hopes of tapping underground water sources to augment the town’s dwindling supply.</p><p>Macasaet also said she will ask the Sangguniang Bayan to declare a state of calamity as the water crisis continues to worsen.</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="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DNm-VMGiE1E?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div>  </div>

<p>For nearly two months, residents of Real, Quezon have been enduring intermittent water supply, with many households receiving only a trickle of water—or none at all—as a severe drought continues to cripple the town’s water sources.</p>

For nearly two months, residents of Real, Quezon have been enduring intermittent water supply, with many households receiving only a trickle of water—or none at all—as a severe drought continues to cripple the town’s water sources.

Water crisis worsens in Real, Quezon as drought dries up rivers and forces daily rationing

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Water crisis worsens in Real, Quezon as drought dries up rivers and forces daily rationing

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 05, 2026 11:36 PM PHT

Read More:

Water Crisis

El Niño

Real

Quezon

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