'Hindi po kinakailangang mag-panic': Malacañang, gov't agencies guarantee enough bottled water supply as El Niño approaches
Malacañang, with several government agencies, is asking the public not to hoard bottled water as there is enough supply in the country amid the approaching El Niño phenomenon.
In a press briefing on Oct. 1, Palace press officer Claire Castro discouraged Filipinos from panic-buying and hoarding water supplies, especially bottled drinking water, as it could raise prices and unnecessarily shorten supply.
"Alam niyo naman ang tubig kapag ito ay bottled water, meron din po itong panahon na dapat ito ay i-consume. So hindi po advisable na kayo ay magtago, mag-hoard ng mga tubig ngayon," Castro said.
She added that the government has not received reports of a bottled drinking water shortage.
"Kaagapay po ninyo ang gobyerno, ang pamahalaan, at lahat ng mga concerned agencies. So hindi po kinakailangang mag-panic. Kailangan lang po ng tamang pagprepara," Castro said.
The Department of Trade and Industry echoed Malacañang's plea in a statement released on the same day.
"The Department of Trade and Industry assures consumers that the current supply of bottled water remains adequate and that there is no need to hoard," the statement read.
DTI added it will "intensify price monitoring" and ensure a steady supply of bottled water by coordinating closely with manufacturers and distributors.
State weather bureau PAGASA, as well, reminded the public not to hoard bottled water.
In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday, Oct. 4, PAGASA weather specialist Dan Villamil said conserving, not hoarding, water is key.
"Definitely, water conservation 'yung isa sa mga kailangang gawin. 'Wag tayo mag-hoard. Maling gawain 'yan dahil makakaapekto 'yan sa general supply natin," Villamil said.
'Whole-of-government approach'
According to Castro, Marcos has called on the appropriate agencies to prepare for the effects of the approaching El Niño. Working together are PAGASA, the Department of Agriculture, National Irrigation Administration, National Water Resources Board, and the Department of Social Welfare.
In an interview with DZMM Teleradyo on Oct. 4, NWRB board executive director Dr. Sevillo David assured the public of the collaborative efforts of the agencies.
"[May] whole-of-government approach para sa pagma-manage ng [water] supply," Sevilla said.
He also explained that the water allocation for Angat Dam has been lowered from the normal 50–52 cubic meters per second to 44 cubic meters per second this October.
"But itong pagbababa natin ay hindi naman nangangahulugan na may epekto ito sa mga kababayan natin dito sa Metro Manila at mga karatig probinsya. Ito ay bahagi lang ng pagmamanage natin ng supply," Sevilla said.
"Normal ang supply ng tubig na mararanasan ng kababayan natin," he added.
According to PAGASA, El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer-than-usual surface waters. In the Philppines, El Niño typically raises the likelihood of drought across the country, though there can still be above-normal rainfall during the Habagat season, especially if it is enhanced by tropical cyclones.
PAGASA has warned that the Philippines could face a "very strong" El Niño between September and December 2026, which may persist through the first half of 2027.
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