€212.7 million (about $238 million) for clean water in Bohol, Siargao, and Sulu

The Philippines has secured €212.7 million (about $238 million; nearly P15 billion) in World Bank financing to expand clean water and sanitation in underserved communities — the Loboc Cluster in Bohol, Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte, and Jolo in Sulu. Finance Secretary Frederick Go signed the loan agreement on October 6. The Accelerated Water and Sanitation Project will build bulk water systems, treatment facilities, and distribution networks, plus a centralized water-quality lab on Siargao and WASH facilities in public schools and health centers. It is the first phase of the World Bank's broader Water Security and Resilience program for East Asia and the Pacific.