Should we really be getting worked up over water filters?
“Bumili na kayo ng balde para ’pag umulan, makolekta na ninyo lahat,” said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during a press briefing in Singapore, where he had a five-day working visit.
Amid public concern about the incoming super El Niño, the president—whose working trip conveniently coincided with the Formula 1 Grand Prix, of which he also attended—emphasized water filters and a balde as vital responses to a drought. It’s no wonder his remarks were seen as insensitive, and another instance of the government leaving a crisis in the public’s hands—kanya-kanya, so to speak.
But all that aside, wouldn’t water filters actually be helpful?
A proper response buried under terrible messaging
According to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the administration will be distributing Sawyer water filtration kits to “high-density communities in Metro Manila where water pressure is already low”—among those being Tondo and Dinagat Islands.
The kits can filter water from deep wells, springs, and rainwater, while removing bacteria, protozoa, cysts, and microplastics with a 99.9999 percent success rate, and are also accredited by the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water.
“We started it in Batanes in 2024 when Typhoon Julian struck the island, and sources of potable water were affected. Nakatulong ito sa mga kababayan natin na walang mainom na malinis na tubig noong kasagsagan ng lakas ng ulan,” shares Gatchalian, explaining how they have been giving out the same filtration kits to communities all over the country in past years.
Part of a bigger response
According to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the distribution of water filtration kits to vulnerable communities is but a part of a wider response against super El Niño.
Among other notable projects under the DSWD are Project Local Adaptation to Water Access (LAWA) and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished (BINHI)—both of which are aimed at improving food security and water resource management in communities vulnerable to climate hazards.
Between 2023 and 2025, the DSWD has notably established 3,614 Small Water Impounding Projects (SWIPs) and assisted in the repair of 1,329 community irrigation facilities. According to data from DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD), these all in all have stored over 28.1 million cubic meters of water as a buffer in events of drought and water shortage.
Water filters and beyond
According to Gatchalian, the Sawyer water filtration kits are sourced from the Waves for Water Organization, Inc., a nongovernmental organization (NGO) whose country branch has been operating in the country for 13 years.
Amid existing displeasure with distributing water filters as a response to super El Niño, we asked Patrick Manuel, country director for Waves For Water Philippines, about his experience with introducing the water filters to communities in the country.
People have been largely critical of the administration’s call to provide water filtration kits to mitigate the effects of super El Niño. As a group that provides filtration kits to communities in desperate need of clean water, what do you think of that sentiment?
Our work began in response to the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013, when we saw firsthand how disasters can disrupt access to safe drinking water. Since then, we have expanded our work to all 82 provinces, implementing over 35,000 Sawyer water filtration systems in disaster response settings, as well as in urban and rural communities with limited access to clean water.
Our position is that the Sawyer water filtration systems can be a practical component of a broader water security response, and we are committed to working constructively with partners to help ensure it is used appropriately and effectively.
It is not a standalone solution, however. As the country prepares for El Niño, the priority must be ensuring that people have reliable access to safe water through a coordinated response that combines appropriate technology, sound implementation, and long-term water resource management among government, technical partners, local authorities, and communities.
Would filtration kits be helpful in an event such as super El Niño? Should people be open to using them?
The Sawyer water filtration systems can be useful in appropriate settings—particularly when communities have access to freshwater sources, but limited means of making that water safer to drink. In our 13 years of work, we have seen how Sawyer water filtration systems can support access to safer drinking water in disaster-affected and underserved communities.
It is important to understand that filtration is one component of a broader water security response. Filtration can help make an appropriate freshwater source safer to drink, but it cannot solve water scarcity when no water is available, nor can it replace reliable water infrastructure and long-term water resource management.
We also recognize the technology’s limitations. The 0.1-micron filtration systems are designed to remove bacteria and protozoa but not viruses or dissolved chemical contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals. Their effectiveness therefore depends on the suitability of the water source and proper use.
What are some of the challenges Waves For Water has experienced with introducing water filtration kits to communities?
Before implementation, we conduct water, sanitation, and hygiene orientations that cover personal hygiene, cleanliness, and safe water practices. We also return to communities for monitoring and evaluation, including house-to-house visits to check on families’ experiences with the filters.
These visits help us understand why some households may not be using their filters. For example, some may prefer to buy vended water, while others may assume their filter is broken or may need further guidance on its use and maintenance.
Logistics are another challenge, particularly when reaching remote communities or responding to disasters. Reaching geographically isolated areas, such as communities of the Tau’t Bato in Southwest Palawan, requires considerable coordination and travel.
Disaster responses, including those following the 2026 Mindanao earthquake and Typhoons Uwan and Tino in 2025, also involve navigating difficult conditions and getting assistance to affected communities when they need it.
What are some success stories?
One particularly meaningful experience came in 2023, when we revisited communities reached during our Yolanda response as part of our 10th anniversary. We found families who were still using their Sawyer water filters a decade later, with the filters still in good condition.
It was a valuable reminder of the importance of providing an appropriate solution, along with the knowledge and skills needed to use and maintain it over time.
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