DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna inspected Tuesday, March 31, 2026, the water filtration and desalination project in Tumalutab, a remote island off the coast of Zamboanga City.
Cuna said Tumalutab Island, located 20 kilometers from mainland Zamboanga City, is a primary beneficiary of the Water Filtration Program of DENR.
Cuna said the project in Tumalutab is part of a larger P485 million roadmap by the Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) of DENR to address water supply gaps in water-stressed and geographically isolated and disadvantage areas across the country.
“Dito humigit kumulang between P2 million to P3 million ang nagastos for this project (Here, approximately between P2 million to P3 million was spent for this project),” Cuna said in an interview at the project site.
He said that Tumalutab was identified as one of six small island barangays for the initial phase of the Water Filtration Program of DENR.
The DENR, through the WRMO, has completed the installation of a desalination filtration system and a corresponding housing structure December 2025 in Tumalutab.
The completion of the project has brought a significant reduction from the P50 to P70 residents typically paid previously to P20 to P25 per five-gallon container.
However, with the increase in the prices of fuel, a five-gallon container now costs P30.
The fees collected from water sales in the village are intended to be used for the ongoing maintenance and operation of the water system.
Tumalutab Village Chairperson Joemer Abunawas said the project of big help to the residents, especially in terms of health and sanitation.
Abunawas said children, including some adults, complained of experiencing stomach ache since their main source of water is from deep wells.
“We are thankful with the government for choosing this island, through the DENR, to be a beneficiary of the water filtration program,” Abunawas said in vernacular in a separate interview.
He said the project benefitted 3,436 residents, whose livelihood is informal labor, fishing and coastal trade.
Meanwhile, Cuna said that another 26 island and remote villages will benefit from the Water Filtration Program of DENR before the end of 2026. (SunStar Zamboanga)