Contingency plans ready in case of prolonged El Niño: task force

A resident fetches water, for their household needs, from an artesian well at a relocation site in Barangay Silangan, San Mateo, Rizal. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Water Supply

Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

<figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments" id="isPasted"><figcaption>A resident fetches water, for their household needs, from an artesian well at a relocation site in Barangay Silangan, San Mateo, Rizal. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure>MANILA — At least 30 deep wells in Metro Manila are expected to be completed soon as the Philippines braces for possible long term effects of the ongoing El Niño.   While water levels in dams appear enough to supply the nation&#x27;s water needs until May, contingency plans are in place, said Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama, who is also Task Force El Niño’s spokesperson. “Sa Metro Manila may ongoing construction ng deep wells. Mako-complete na sila, I believe at least 30. So back up yan, yang mga deep well na yan, as alternative sources of water,” Villarama said.&quot;Kinukumpuni ang mga pipeline na may tagas… Ang emphasis po ng Pangulo is to ensure water security so sinabi niya sa lahat ng government agencies na i-ensure na matapos o ma-complete lahat ng existing water projects,&quot; he added.<ul><li><a data-cke-saved-href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/7/marcos-wants-faster-completion-of-water-projects-amid-el-ni-o-1329" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/7/marcos-wants-faster-completion-of-water-projects-amid-el-ni-o-1329">Marcos Jr. wants faster completion of &#x27;all&#x27; water projects amid El Niño </a></li></ul> President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. recently attended the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply project, which taps surface water sources instead of groundwater.   “Kung dati ang mga water sources natin ay through deep wells, naghuhukay tayo, sinabi ng Pangulo na dapat, dahil mayaman naman sa tubig, sa surface water ang Pilipinas ay i-tap natin ang surface water sources para pagkunan ng supply ng tubig,” Villarama said.   Surface water includes both freshwater from rivers, streams and lakes, as well as saltwater from oceans and seas.<figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AmBTXXmMwno?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure>Watch more News on <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a> Representatives of Israel’s biggest water treatment company, IDE Technologies, which specializes in water recycling and desalination of seawater, are currently in the Philippines to introduce Israeli expertise on the matter. According to Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss, recent discussions with Marcos included agriculture, water and defense as priority areas of engagement between the Philippines and Israel.   “There’s a lot of interest to collaborate with Israel…The first thing he said, &#x27;Ambassador please bring over the Israeli technologies and Israeli experts to the Philippines,&#x27;” Fluss said of his conversation with Marcos.   IDE Technologies have projects in around 40 countries including the United States. The company said it spoke with local private companies.   “Water projects typically would start in few hundreds of thousands of dollars for very small projects and go up to hundreds of millions of dollars for large projects that’s the range so you can realize that a lot of investments probably will happen solving water problems in the Philippines,” said Alon Tavor, CEO of IDE Technologies.   Treatment and desalination facilities take approximately 2 to 3 years to set up according to Tavor. The company is willing to enter into partnerships with both government and private entities.<ul><li><a data-cke-saved-href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/15/gov-t-to-help-4-000-farmers-affected-by-el-ni-o-959" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/15/gov-t-to-help-4-000-farmers-affected-by-el-ni-o-959">Gov&#x27;t to help 4,000 farmers affected by El Niño</a></li><li><a data-cke-saved-href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/7/el-ni-o-in-mature-stage-doh-on-the-lookout-for-diseases-2302 " href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/7/el-ni-o-in-mature-stage-doh-on-the-lookout-for-diseases-2302 ">El Niño in mature stage; DOH on the lookout for diseases</a></li></ul><div> </div><div> </div>

At least 30 deep wells in Metro Manila are expected to be completed soon as the Philippines braces for El Niño.

At least 30 deep wells in Metro Manila are expected to be completed soon as the Philippines braces for El Niño.

Contingency plans ready in case of prolonged El Niño: task force | ABS-CBN

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Contingency plans ready in case of prolonged El Niño: task force

Contingency plans ready in case of prolonged El Niño: task force

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 15, 2024 05:48 PM PHT

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Philippines

water supply

climate change

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