Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said Tuesday the department has completed the inventory of the country’s surface water.

“Bakit po mahalaga? We are able now to match kung saan po mayroon resources na tubig in order to actually service iyong pangangailangan ng industriya, ng mga communities at iba pang mga sektor (Why is it important? We are now able to match areas with water resources to actually service the need of industries, communities, and other sectors),” she said during post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) discussions in Pasay City.

Loyzaga said about 40 million Filipinos are still without or have limited access to water.

Data from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) on the state of water resources shows that the country’s freshwater potential or supply is estimated at 146 billion cubic meters per year (m³/yr).

Of these, 86 percent or 125.8 billion m³/year are surface water, which comes mainly from watersheds or river basins and lakes.

The DENR estimated that at least 70 percent of the Philippines’ total land area are watershed areas, of which 421 are principal river basins and 221 are lakes.

Among the river basins, 18 are considered major river basins.

With this data, she said, the DENR would partner with relevant government agencies to prioritize the areas and identify the right investment for water projects.

Loyzaga said the DENR has a National Natural Resource GeoSpatial Database, a mapping system of the country’s natural resources, including water.

“Right now, we have already identified 247 (unserved or underserved areas), and those 247 have now received about close to 100 letters of interest dito po sa mga (in these) water projects in the country,” she said.

Loyzaga said aside from water, the National Natural Resource GeoSpatial Database also contains data on forest cover, which she said is very important.

She said of the 15 million classified forestlands in the country, only 7 million are actually covered with forests.

“Ang forest po natin ay ang (Our forests are a) resource that will enable us to actually determine how much water we can store in our Aquafirst and in our river systems and receive them and impound them. We also value our forest in terms of soil erosion control dito sa (here in) downstream flooding,” Loyzaga said.

She said the DENR is assessing the condition of the country’s protected areas so it can provide the needed ecosystem services and manage floods.

Loyzaga said the DENR would soon launch the first Philippine Mangrove Map together with the Philippine Space Agency and citizen scientists across the country.

The department, she said, is also working very closely and consulting with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the National Irrigation Authority “to actually be able now to design multiple-use infrastructure that not only ensures that we have water when water is needed but also in fact, to control floods.”

She said mangroves help prevent storm surge hazards. (PNA)