Officials from the Metropolitan Naga Water District (MNWD) participated in the Watershed 2016 Conference held in the City of Golden Friendship down south recently.

From September 14-15 at the Limketkai Luxe Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City, Director Jorge T. Palma, Engr. Virgilio B. Luansing I, Engr. Gilbert V. Eleazar, and Mr. Vicente Aniceto D. Rubio joined the delegates of the conference with the theme “Effective Watershed Management: Key to Sustainable Water Supply.”

MNWD Delegation posed with PAWD Representative Ms. Ina Rojas. (L-R) Eng. Gilbert V. Eleazar; Engr. Virgilio B. Luansing I; Ms. Ina Rojas; Dir. Jorge T. Palma; and Mr. Vicente Aniceto D. Rubio

The two-day conference was jointly sponsored by the Philippine Association of Water Districts (PAWD), Maynilad Water Academy, and the host city’s Cagayan de Oro Water District.

The event was a follow-through of the first Watershed Summit in 2010 held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. This was emphasized by Executive Director of Maynilad Water Academy, Rhodora Gamboa, in her welcome address. She challenged the participants to embark on watershed management to ensure water sustainability not only for the present but for the future generations as well.

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno gave his Welcome to the City address. PAWD Watershed and Environment Committee Chairperson, Stella M. Gonzalez, delivered the message from PAWD, as well. Both of them stressed the importance of the said gathering to mitigate the impacts of climate change, call upon the participants to implement watershed management, and also enjoy their stay in the city.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Marlo D. Mendoza represented the DENR Secretary Regina La’O Lopez. Usec Mendoza presented the state of Philippine watersheds and the Philippine Watershed Management Framework and emphasized the expanded National Greening Program (eNGP) of the DENR.

Director Jorge T. Palma presented the Holistic Approach in Watershed Management Planning: the MNWD Experience. After him, the representative of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) presented the State of Water Resources in the Philippines which was followed by Senior Deputy Administrator of LWUA, Edgardo C. Demayo, who discussed promoting sustainable watershed management for water districts and assured financial and technical support from LWUA.

“Holistic Approach in Watershed Management Planning: the MNWD Experience”. MNWD Board of Director, Mr. Jorge T. Palma delivering his presentation at the Watershed 2016 Conference held last September 14-15, 2016 at the Limketkai Luxe Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City.

Raoul Geollegue, president of the Philippine Watershed Management Coalition (PWMC) and the Partners for Ecosystem Services and Natural Resources Management spoke on the Payment for Environment Services (PES) as an instrument of watershed rehabilitation and poverty reduction.

Technical issues and concerns in watershed management, basic watershed concepts, and the role of indigenous peoples (IPs) were tackled by former president of Philippines Watershed Management Coalition, Jemuel Perino.

The experiences of Metro Kidapawan Water District in collaborating with the IPs in managing the watershed were shared next. Zamboanga City Water District, Butuan City Water District, and Cagayan de Oro Water District all shared their respective experiences, too.

Lastly, the session focused on different approaches to watershed management. Director Jessica Salas of the Metro Iloilo Water District talked on the ecosystem approach to watershed management. The cost and impact of developing a watershed area was discussed by GM Menillo Siega of the Bislig Water District. GM Vicente Cerilo A. Irriberi of the Cantilan Water District shared the strategies in funding watershed management projects.

Each session was followed by an open forum where questions on various issues and concerns were ably answered by the resource persons.