Water from the faucet or tap in the Philippines is not safe for drinking, and the quality of the water does not meet the standards set by the national government, especially in urban areas.
Data from the United Nations and Unicef showed that a majority, 53 percent of households in the Philippines do not have access to a safely managed water supply, with 48 percent of the population receiving safely managed or piped water services. The situation in schools is even more severe, with 55 percent lacking access to pure and healthy water.
The lack of access to essential water and sanitation services among a large part of the Philippine population results in illness, malnutrition, and childhood stunting. Indeed, nearly one-third of Filipino children suffer from stunting.
Indeed, according to the 2022 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS), more than half of the population source their drinking water from water filter system and bottled water (54.3 percent). But this comes at a cost, with Filipino consumers spending up to P7,000 in monthly water filter system expenses.
