Three dams that provide water for irrigation and power generation have fallen below minimum operating levels, based on a July 21 report released by the state weather bureau. Data available on the website of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed the alarming water levels of Angat, San Roque, and Pantabangan dams. The latest update indicated that water in Pantabangan and Angat continued to decline in the past 24 hours.
Based on the report from Pagasa, the water level of Angat Dam-which also supplies the drinking water needs of Metro Manila-reached 152.20 meters, lower than its minimum operating level of 180 meters. The water level of Pantabangan Dam nosedived to 176.82 meters, also well below its minimum operating level of 207 meters. Only San Roque Dam maintained its water level in the past 24 hours, but it has yet to return to its minimum operating level of 237 meters as of 8 a.m. of July 21.
Pagasa declared the onset of the rainy season over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas on June 4, yet the rainfall received by Luzon in recent weeks has not been enough to fill its dams. This is a cause for concern as Luzon is home to some of the major rice-producing areas in the country including Nueva Ecija-the Philippines’s rice granary and Cagayan Valley, which considers rice as its second most important crop. Water scarcity in Luzon-the most populous island in the country-poses a threat to the production of the country’s staple, which the Philippines has been importing in large quantities in recent years.
This problem is not new as the Philippines had to make do with scarce water supply especially during the hot dry season months. Dams are usually replenished when certain areas experience rainfall even before the habagat or monsoon season begins. This year, however, the Philippines received reduced rainfall and the super El Niño could even worsen the water situation in the country particularly in the latter part of the year. (See, ‘PHL braces for super El Niño as 47 provinces seen facing dry conditions by November 2026,’ in the BusinessMirror, June 3, 2026).
The water situation of Luzon and possibly the whole country by the fourth quarter due to El Niño and the uncertainty caused by the Middle East war are recipes for disaster, particularly if the government is not prepared to cushion their impact. Some government officials have asked for prayers to shield the Philippines from a super El Niño, but beyond prayers, the public is counting on the state to take proactive measures that will minimize the impact of the weather phenomenon on the local farm sector. It would do well for policymakers to remember that the Philippines has remained a net food importer and it cannot rely on other countries for its food requirements for the next two years, particularly if they are also hit by El Niño.