Climate Change Impacts to theWater Environment andAdaptation Options in thePhilippines¹by:Lourdes V. Tibig2
1Presented at the WEPA first International Workshop held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 8-9 March 2010.
2Climate Change Expert, Phase 1 of the MDGF Joint Programme for Climate Change Adaptation of the Philippinesand Technical Expert, Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment Component of the Second National Communicationof the Philippines to the UNFCCC

The Philippine Watersheds¾ At least 70% of the total land area of thecountry is found in watersheds of varying sizes¾ Watersheds with an area of at least 105 ha(river basins) which comprise 7.8 m ha of thewatershed areas¾ Watersheds continue to be the principal
sources of water for domestic, agriculture,industrial and commercial uses in the country(around 975 MCM of water/day)Causes of watershed degradation
Direct:¾ Erosive upland agricultural practices¾ Inappropriate forestry practices¾ Overgrazing¾ Poor water resource management¾ Unplanned and unregulated conversion¾ Increasing industrialization

Indirect:¾ Excessive population growth¾ Pervasive upland poverty and absence ofviable livelihoods¾ Lack of markets and other livelihood support
systems¾ Land tenure¾ Inadequate knowledge about watershedmanagement¾ Inappropriate conservation technologies

Indirect:¾ Lack of access to capital resources¾ Absence of mechanisms to facilitate
coordination of mandates of various agencies¾ Absence of appropriate scheme for valuationand pricing of watershed resources¾ Inadequate land use and management plans¾ Inconsistent policy frameworks

Description of water resources in thePhilippines¾ 12 water resource regions (defined byhydrological boundaries, physiographic
features and climate homogeneity)¾ 343 independent principal river basins (ofareas of at least 4,000 ha each) covering
66.5% of country’s total land areaDescription of water resources in thePhilippines¾ Most extensive rivers systems are the Rio
Grande which flows into the Mindanao river,
the Agusan, which flows into the Mindanao
Sea, the Cagayan in Northern Luzon and thePampanga which flows into Manila Bay¾ 61 lakes with an aggregate area of 200,00 ha(Laguna de Bay is the largest in Philippines
and second largest in Southeast Asia)

Description of water resourcesin the Philippines¾ Extensive groundwater resource (aggregate
area of 50,000 sq. km and storage of about
251,158 MCM, but safe yield is only 31,554
MCM)¾ Dependable yield is an aggregate of 975
MCM/day (from surface runoff of 833
MCM/day and from groundwater safe yield of142 MCM/day)Description of water resourcesin the Philippines¾ Per capita water availability is only
1,907cu.meters. Drinking water supply is
distributed unevenly¾ Current water demand is divided among:* Agricultural
80%* Commercial and industrial
16%* Domestic4%

Climate change scenarios for 2020
and 2050*¾ Mean seasonal temperatures are expected torise by about 0.8ºC to 1.2ºC for 2020 and1.7ºC to 2.4ºC by 2050;¾ Projection of seasonal temporal rainfall
variation is largest (-35% to 40%) during
MAM and JJA_________________________________________________________________________________* IACCC/EMB 2009; enabling activities for the preparation of the SNC on climate change to theUNFCC, UNDP GEF project No. 00037339

Projected Changes in Annual Mean Rainfall
Relative to the Period 1971-2000(based on SRES A1B)
45

155-5

ARMM

R12

R11

R10

R09

R08

R07

R05

R04

R03

R06

REGIONCARAGA

2050

R02

2020

CAR-35NCR-15-25R01

Percent(%)

3525

2020

2050
-35

R12

R11

R10

R09

ARMM

-15-25-35

2020

2050

R04

R12
CARAGAARMM

CARAGA
ARMM

R11

R08

R07

R06

R05

NCR

R10-15-25

R11

5-5

R09

15

R10SON

R09

REGIONR12REGION

R08

JJA

R07

2050

R06

3525

R03

DJF

R05

453525
R02-25-35

NCR

45

R04

5-52020

R03-15-25

CAR

5-5

R02

3525

R01

15Percent(%)

453525R01

ARMM

Percent(%)

45

CAR

15Percent(%)

R12

R11

R10

R09

R08

R07

R06

R05

CARAGAREGIONCARAGAREGION
R08

R07

R06

2050

R05

NCR

R04

R03

R02

-35

NCR

R04

R03

R02

CAR

CAR

R01

2020

R01

Percent(%)

Projected Change in Seasonal Mean
Rainfall Relative to the Period 1971-2000(based on SRES A1B)
MAM

155-5-15

Projections: 2025
Water availability vs. water demand [using 2005 waterdemand baseline]

35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0I

IIIII

Water AvailableSource: NWRB, 2008

IVVVI

VII

Water Demand 2005

VIIIIXXXIXII

Water Demand 2025

Adaptation Options
Water supply side management¾ Maximize the potential water resources availability* Improve watershed management including theadoption of integrated watershed and ecosystemmanagement* Build capacity to capture excess water during
the rainy/wet season (to have enough stored
water for use during dry months) e.g. small
water-impounding projects or SWIPs for
irrigation

A Small Water Impounding Project
A SWIP in Villa
Boado, Talugtug,Nueva Ecija showing
the embankment (15meters high) and thedominantly grassland
watershed. Fish israised in fish cages(Source:http://www.fao.org/wocat)

9 Practice of water augmentation and water harvesting
techniques (e.g. rain harvesting, surface watercollection and storage, stream flow diversion, ponding,etc.)

Water demand side management¾ Maximize the use of water and minimize
wastes of water* Practice of soil and water conservation
techniques (e.g. contour farming, mulching
and terracing, hedgerows planting and zerotillage, etc.)* Regular maintenance of irrigation facilitiesAdaptation policies/policy
framework¾ Institutional efforts in both agriculture andwater requirements of the sectors* SWIPs and shallow tube wells;* Promotion of soil and water conservation* Inclusion of a directional plan in theimplementation of integrated water resource
management (IWRM) at all levels of thegovernment

The Elements of Integrated Water Management in thePhilippines
Sustainable Outcome No. 1 - Effective
protection and regulation for water
security and ecosystem health

Sustainable Outcome No. 2 - Sustainable
Water Resources and Responsive Services
for Present and Future Needs

Strategic Themes9 Ensuring rational, efficient andecologically sustainable allocation ofwater
9 Enhancing effectiveness in groundwater
management and aquifer protection
9 Achieving clean and healthy water
9 Managing and mitigating risks fromwater related disasters and climatechangeStrategic Themes
9 Promoting water
conservation/stewardship
9 Improving water use efficiency expanding
access
9 Ensuring availability of affordable andresponsive water supply and sanitation
services

Sustainable Outcome No. 3 - Improved
effectiveness, accountability, andsynergy among water related
institutions and stakeholders

Sustainable Outcome No. 4 - Adaptive andProactive Response to Future Challenges

Strategic Themes
9 Promoting participatory water
governance and supportive enabling
environment
9 Strengthening knowledge management
and building capacity for IWRM

Strategic Themes
9 Exploring innovative pathways to water
resource management:o Water sensitive design: ensuring
sustainable and environmentallysound development and water
management practices
o Water trading: towards a more
efficient allocation of water

The IWRM¾ Need for changing an economic price forwater¾ Need for cost recovery in the case of allwater services (no final implementationmechanisms yet)E-mail address: lvtibig@yahoo.com