By Connie Calipay
LEGAZPI CITY – The municipal government of Bato, Catanduanes, is rationing water in four villages to ensure supply for residents amid a shortage caused by dwindling water sources, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) said Tuesday.
Bato MDRRMO chief Donnabelle Tejada said the rationing helps residents by delivering water directly to their barangays and reducing the need to travel elsewhere to fetch it.
“All barangays in Bato are experiencing water shortages, although the situation remains manageable in areas with available local water sources,” Tejada said in an interview.
Water rationing is underway in Barangays Libod, Guinobatan, Sipi, and Batalay, benefiting an estimated 80 to 90 percent of residents.
The Bato local government and MDRRMO have so far delivered four truckloads of potable water to Libod and Guinobatan, and two truckloads to Sipi and Batalay.
Tejada said rationing is carried out at the request of barangay officials and does not yet follow a set schedule.
The local government will continue deliveries as long as barangays request assistance and water supplies remain sufficient, she said.
“There is no limit to the amount of water residents can get. They line up and share the available water,” Tejada said.
Barangays served by the Bato Water District (BAWAD) are also experiencing intermittent water service.
As part of its response, the local government plans to revive existing deep wells and jetmatic pumps, particularly in the poblacion, and to improve or rehabilitate other local water sources.
BAWAD also plans to implement a water supply schedule in the poblacion to manage the available water supply.
As a long-term measure, BAWAD has identified an alternative water source between Barangays Mintay and Oguis for future development.
Tejada said funds for the fuel used by fire trucks to deliver water are running low.
Bato Mayor Princess Vanessa Rodriguez has also requested a mobile storage tank from the national government to support the municipality’s water response. (PNA)
WATER RATIONING. Personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Bato, Catanduanes refill water containers of residents affected by a water shortage in an undated photo. Bato MDRRMO chief Donnabelle Tejada on Tuesday (Oct. 6, 2026) said the rationing helps residents by bringing water directly to their barangays and reducing the need to travel elsewhere to fetch water. (Photo courtesy of Bato LDRRMO)
