Clean water finally reaches Zambo Peninsula Indigenous People

MANILA, Philippines — For the Subanen people living in Barangay Sipakong, Bacungan, Zamboanga del Norte, getting water for their daily needs used to call for a long walk — 500 meters uphill — to reach springs and other water sources, a journey that took 30 to 45 minutes from the nearest road, depending on the location of their homes.

The Subanen people are among the Lumad or Indigenous People of the Zamboanga Peninsula, whose daily struggles with limited or unreliable water supply are further aggravated by a looming Super El Niño.

After getting the water, they then had to carry heavy pails or water containers along rough paths on the way back.

For young people, fetching water meant time spent walking instead of playing, studying, or helping at home. For families, it was another daily task made harder by distance.

But all that changed in 2025 with the construction of a 50-cubic-meter Small Water Impounding System (SWIS) by the Zamboanga Peninsula office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The system now directly serves around 70 to 80 households and farms, providing water for domestic and agricultural needs. 

According to a DENR statement on Wednesday, the project reflects President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to address water scarcity and ensure water security, particularly in areas across the country with limited or unreliable water supply.

READ: In Zamboanga City, island folk finally get safe water

More time to be productive

DENR approached the problem by anticipating water shortages rather than merely responding to them, maximizing available water sources, developing additional sources, and preparing contingency measures to help communities cope with prolonged dry conditions.

Environment Secretary Juan Miguel “Mitch” T. Cuna has emphasized the need for practical water interventions that help communities become more resilient.

In the Barangay Sipakong example, that approach was evident — store water closer to the people who need it while protecting the watershed that supplies it.

As Barangay Kagawad Ramon Dampayla explained in Cebuano: “Before, we had to go far just to fetch water. Now, we have a water source nearby.”

With water more accessible, the daily burden of fetching it has also eased. What once required a long trip can now be done closer to home, giving families more time and energy for other needs.

For Sangguniang Kababataan Chairman Danilo Anticamara Jr., the project has given young people one less hardship to carry.

“Before the SWIS, they had to walk long distances for drinking water because the streams near their homes were not considered safe for consumption. Now, water is more accessible, and the resource can also support household activities and farming,” he said. 

For resident Ofelia Belhot, the project means something deeper: the community does not have to depend as heavily on distant springs in the forest.

“If this project were discontinued, we would really have to go back to our previous water source in the forest,” she said.

That is what the SWIS has changed: Instead of spending time and effort on fetching water, the people can be more productive.

The stored water can support farms, gardens, and other agricultural activities, helping families produce food and strengthen their livelihoods.

For households that depend on the land, this can mean more productive farms, greater food security, and opportunities for additional income.

As the community continues to improve access to basic services and livelihood opportunities, these efforts also contribute to the broader progress toward a more stable and peaceful barangay.

Watershed management

The project — a part of DENR Region 9’s watershed management efforts — is located within the Palandok River Watershed in Zamboanga del Norte. Its continued benefits depend on the health of the forests, streams, and water sources that sustain the community.

DENR Region 9 OIC Regional Executive Director Marie Angelique C. Go emphasized that watershed management must ultimately serve the people who depend on its resources.

“Watershed management is not only about protecting the forest or managing water. It is about ensuring that the watershed’s resources continue to serve the people who depend on them. Projects like this make that connection clear—when we manage water wisely and protect its source, we also strengthen the community’s ability to sustain its livelihood,” she said.

The timing is especially important as the country faces the possibility of drier conditions brought by El Niño.

For Barangay Sipakong, having a system to store and manage water is one step toward preparing families and farms for what may lie ahead.

The DENR’s SWIS project can help the community cope with El Niño by providing a stored water source for domestic and agricultural needs when water may become less available.

READ: Thirst ends, hope begins on Zamboanga island

But storing water is only part of the solution. Protecting the watershed that supplies it is just as important. Keeping forests, streams, and water sources healthy helps ensure that the community can continue to benefit from the project for years to come.

The DENR, together with the community and local government, hopes that interventions like SWIS will be sustained – not simply as completed projects, but as resources that continue serving families and farms for years to come.

What once required a long walk can now be found closer to home. And in every drop is something bigger than water – a harvest to sustain, a burden to lighten, and a future worth protecting.

In Sipakong, water did not simply come closer. It brought tomorrow within reach. /atm