Marcos orders gov't agencies to provide potable water to flooded Samar communities
At A Glance
- Officials said that the flooding affected 14,260 families, equivalent to 458,137 individuals, were affected by the flooding.
President Marcos has ordered agencies and local governments in Samar to ensure sufficient potable water in communities affected by flooding caused by the heavy rains that ravaged Eastern Visayas.

Marcos said this during the situation briefing on the Samar flooding in Tacloban City on Thursday, Nov. 23.
In his remarks, the President said the government would eventually provide water purification equipment to the affected 37 municipalities.
"What we usually do is we provide water purification equipment. So, we will…as soon as possible, send in those. [But] for the moment, we'll just have to provide actual water," he said.
“Yun muna ang una nating gagawin, wala tayong choice (That's what we'll do for now because we have no choice). We will have to bring it (filtration system) from other places," he added.
According to Samar local officials, Bicol has an available water filtration system in Bicol. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) can bring additional water-purifying machines.
During the briefing, the Chief Executive said current infrastructures could no longer handle floodwater caused by excessive rain due to the changing weather patterns, which the government and communities must adjust and respond to.
"Our sewers are not enough anymore because of the change in the weather that became severe," he said.
"We have not experienced this kind of heavy rain over such a long period of time. Considering na walang bagyo (there is no typhoon). Considering that this is the new normal, this is the new weather that we have to adjust to," he added.
Officials said that the flooding affected 14,260 families, equivalent to 458,137 individuals, were affected by the flooding. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 163 evacuation centers temporarily shelter 51,000 individuals. Outside the evacuation centers, the region has around 7,912 families affected by the disaster.