Zapatos Island, Balud, Masbate – May 15, 2025 – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is exploring the pilot implementation of innovative Air-to-Water (AWT) technology in Zapatos Island, a remote island community that has long been featured in the news for its lack of access to clean and safe drinking water.

The DSWD Team, led by Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group Diana Rose S. Cajipe and KALAHI-CIDSS National Program Manager Atty. Bernadette A. Mapue-Joaquin, joined by DSWD FOV Regional Director Norman S. Laurio, visited Zapatos Island to assess the community’s needs and evaluate the feasibility of deploying AWT as part of the department’s broader efforts in emergency response and disaster preparedness thru focus group discussions with the community and the local heads.

Air-to-Water technology, which extracts drinking water from humidity in the air, has previously been utilized by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in regions experiencing severe water scarcity. If implemented, it could offer a game-changing solution for island communities like Zapatos, where access to potable water remains a daily challenge.

Joining the team were key representatives from the Manila Water Foundation, including OIC Section Head for Integrated WASH John Jasper Daguigan and Innovations Program Manager Pauline Angela Reyes.

The group held focus group discussions with community volunteers, barangay officials, and municipal leaders to gain deeper insight into the water issues faced by residents.

Balud was selected as a potential pilot site based on the following criteria: 1) high malnutrition and stunting rates under the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP); 2) high poverty incidence; 3) limited water access; 4) presence of KALAHI-CIDSS evacuation centers; 5) disaster vulnerability; and 6) its classification as an island municipality.

The DSWD is considering including AWT in the KALAHI-CIDSS menu of sub-projects that communities can propose and implement, especially in areas where access to clean water is persistently a problem.

RD Laurio affirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting water-deprived communities and echoed the direction of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian in promoting innovative, sustainable solutions.

“Visiting Barangay Zapatos gave us firsthand understanding of the community’s struggle for clean water. Exploring sustainable innovations like Air-to-Water technology could dramatically improve the lives of isolated communities, particularly during disasters and emergencies,” USEC Cajipe said.

AWT was first deployed in Camarines Sur following Tropical Storm Kristine in October 2024, where it successfully provided safe drinking water to communities affected by the storm. To better understand the system’s application, DSWD officials also visited Barangay Ponong in Magarao, Camarines Sur on February 21, 2025 for an orientation and live demonstration of the technology.

The agency continues to seek forward-thinking strategies to ensure that no community is left behind in accessing life’s basic necessities.