1/5/2016 YourportaltoPhilippinecountrysidewatersupplydevelopment

http://www.lwua.gov.ph/watershed/watershed_index.htm 1/4

Home AboutUs Bids LendingProgram Training AboutWDs ContactUs LogIn

P.D.198LWUAResearchFAQBoardResolutionsWatershedProgramIndustryAverageWaterRatesMemoCircularstoWDsDownloadsPublicationsNewsroomVideos

ViewLogintoGISaccount

LaboratoryServicesSuggestedReadingsWaterConservationWallpapers

LWUAcommitmenttowatershedconservation

NationalSummitonWatershedManagement

ObjectivesStateofPhilippineWatershedsLWUATreePlantingAdvocacyIssuesConfrontingWatershedProgramsLegalIssuesWatershedBasedForestLandUseThePuertoPrincesaProtocol

Cognizantoftheimportantassociationbetweenprovisionofwatersupplyandsustainablewatershedmanagement,LWUAhasbeensupportiveoftheinitiativesofwaterdistrictsforwatershedrelatedprogramsandprojects.

Intheearly1990s,LWUAfundedandsupportedprojectsforwatershedprojectsimplementedbyWDs.AmongthesuccessfulrecipientsofthesupportwerethewatershedprojectsofMetroCebuWD,MetroNagaWD,ZamboangaCityWDandDavaoCityWD.LWUAhasitsCentralProgramSupportOfficeforSewerageandSanitation(CPSO)andWatershedManagementDivisiontooverseeandmonitorwatershedprogramsandprojectsofwaterdistricts.In2009LWUAsawitfittorevitalizeitsWatershedAssistanceProgramtoWDsandthustheMoAonWatershedManagementamongLWUA,DepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResources(DENR)andthePhilippineAssociationofWaterDistricts(PAWD)cametobe.Tofasttrackmatters,aTaskForceonWatershedManagementwascreatedtofacilitateWDledwatershedprojects.

TheneedtoencouragegreaterparticipationofWDsinwatershedmanagementisataskthatLWUAwillendeavourtopursueinthecomingyears.

Inrelationtothis,atwodaysummitwasundertakeninJune,thisyearinthecityofPuertoPrincesa.ThisendeavorwasinitiatedbyLWUAwiththesupportofDENR,PAWDandthePuertoPrincesaCityWaterDistrict.

Objectives

Thespecificobjectivesofthesummitareto:

(1)PresentthegeneralPhilippinesituationonwatershedanddiscussthelegalandpolicyframeworkonPhilippinewatershedmanagementprogram

(2)HighlightLWUA'svisionanddirectiononsustainablewatershedmanagementandpresentLWUA'sFinancialAssistancePackageforWatershedManagement

(3)Shareexperiences,bestpracticesand

1/5/2016 YourportaltoPhilippinecountrysidewatersupplydevelopment

http://www.lwua.gov.ph/watershed/watershed_index.htm 2/4

issues/concernsonwatershedmanagementprogramsimplementedamongwaterdistricts

(4)Securecommitmentonthenationwideadvocacyanddedicationtowardssustainablemanagementofwatersheds,and

(5)Plantoimplementanationwideactivitytoplant15milliontreesinthreeyearsthroughWDledprogrammes.

SituationerontheStateofWatershedsinthePhilippines

DirectorMarloD.Mendozafocusedhisdiscussiononthenationalwatershedmanagementsituationer,statusofwatershedslawsandpolicieslegalbasis/framework,definitions,descriptionsanddelineationofwatershedsprotectedareas,reservations,watershedmanagementprinciplesandpractices,watershedmanagementarrangementsandagreements/implementationmodalities.

Hehighlightedtheneedtoconsideracomprehensiveapproachtowatershedmanagementwhichincludesbothuplandsandlowlandsaswellascoastal/marinesystems.TheDirectoralsomentionedthecurrentstateofwatershedresourcesandtheimportanceofconductingawatershedcharacterizationforeachwatershedunderthejurisdictionofWDs.Inaddition,hispresentationfocusedonhowforestcoverhelpsminimizefloods.

Dir.MendozapresentedfactsandstatisticsdepictingthePhilippinesasanimpressiveecologicalnationdecadesago,butsincethenhasrapidlyworsenedinthepastfewdecades.Landuseconversion,loggingandillegalfarmpracticesaresomeofthereasonshecitedforthedepletionofourforestcoveratalarmingrates.Relatedly,hecitedseveraltechnologiesthathavebeendevelopedtofastrackreforestation,includinggeneticengineeringoffastgrowingforesttrees.

MitigatingtheeffectsofclimatechangewasalsodiscussedbytheDirector.Treeplantingandforestprotectioncontributestocarbonstorage,therebylimitingcarbonemissionsintotheatmosphere.HeexplainedtheglobalconceptofReducingEmissionsfromDeforestationandDegradationorREDD.Moreover,heintroducedandexplainedtheconceptsofcarbonimprintingandcarbonpoolingaswaystomeasureandmanageaperson'seffectontheenvironment.REDDrevolvesaroundcreatingcarbonpoolsandprotectingexistingcarbonpools.Dir.Mendozawentontodiscussvariousinstrumentsforforestmanagement.HediscussedthenationalREDDplusitsstrategycomponents,toinclude:enablingpolicy,governance,researchanddevelopment,consultationandcapacitybuilding,resourceuseallocationandmanagement,MRV,andsustainablefinancing.HereiteratedtheneedforDENRtopartnerwithotherstakeholderssuchasWDsintheappropriateandeffectivemanagementandprotectionoftheenvironment,afterexplainingthelimitationsofDENRintermsofbudgetandmanpower.

Respondingtotheproblemofwatershedrequires"thinkingoutofthebox",beinginnovativeandcreative.Healsoemphasizedtheneedforafirmcommitment,aswearenotwithoutresourcesandtechnologies.Heconcludedhispresentationbysayingthatsustainablewatershedmanagementisnecessarybecauseitnotonlyincreasesforestcoverbutcontributespositiveimpactssuchasimprovedhealth,economicgainsandcostsavings.

LWUAAdvocacyonTreePlanting

LWUA'sAdvocacyonTreePlantingaimstocomeupwithacollectivedesignortemplatethatwoulddesignalongtermmanagementofthewatershed,consideredthemaincontributoryfactortothesustainablesourceofwaterofWDs.Heexplainedthattargetsforthetreeplantingwouldbe5Mtreesplantedinthe1styearofoperation,then10Mtreesinthe2ndyear,and15Mtreesinthelastyearoftheproject.Thistranslatesintoatotaltargetofaround10,000treestobeplantedbyeachWDinthefirstyear.Iftherearearound50,000WDemployeesnationwide,andiftheyarewillingtomobilizetheirfamilyandfriends,thistargetiseasilyattainable.HementionedthattheGuinnesRecordforonedaytreeplantingisinPakistanwherein514,000treeswereplantedinaday.HepostedachallengetoWDstobeatthisGuinnessrecord.PlansforthisparticularlyactivityshouldbeworkedoutatthenationallevelandproperlycoordinatedwiththeWDs.

IssuesConfrontingImplementationofSustainableWatershed

1/5/2016 YourportaltoPhilippinecountrysidewatersupplydevelopment

http://www.lwua.gov.ph/watershed/watershed_index.htm 3/4

ManagementProgramsinWDs

IssuesConfrontingImplementationofSustainableWatershedManagementProgramswasdiscussedbyElmerT.LuzonfromNORMINNaturalResourcesManagementCouncil,andGeneralManagerofSanFranciscoWDinAgusandelSur.Helistedfourmajorconsiderations,towit:knowyourwatershed,buildpartnerships,puttogetherawatershedmanagementplan,anddeterminethecostofdevelopment.HecitedtheexperienceoftheSanFranciscoWDintheprotectionandconservationofMt.MagdiwataWatershed.Heoutlinedtheprocessesandactualexperiencesoftheprojectfromcommunityentry,participatoryrapidappraisal(PRA),communityorganizingandsocialpreparation,baselinesurveyestablishment,biodiversitysurveyandevaluation,landuse(resourcemapping),rehabilitationanddevelopment,livelihoodprovisionandbasicsocialservices,andmonitoringandevaluation.

Healsodiscussedthemajorpoliciesandlawsrelevanttowatershedmanagementandtherelevantagenciesandtheircorrespondingfunctions.Healsocitedseveralinstanceswhentheywereforcedtofilecasesagainstquarryoperators,smallscalemining,poachinginthewatershedareaaspartofwatershedmanagement.HeemphasizedtheuseofCOPAR(CoParticipatoryActionandResearch)methodsinsocialpreparationandcommunityorganizing,andIntensifiedIECinsteadofsimplelEC.HelikewiseadvisedtheWDstoconsiderIndigenousSocieties/IndigenousPeoples(ISs/IPs)asvitalpartnersinwatersheddevelopmenttoensureacomprehensiveandintegratedapproach.

HighlightsonLegalIssuesforWatershedManagement

Atty.GerthieMayoAndagaveextensiveandwellappreciatedinputsonthetopic.Thehighlightsofherpresentationwereasfollows:SheenumeratedanddiscussedtheEnvironmentalLegalissuesincluding:(1)landandresourceuseconflicts(2)forestconversion,developmentgoalsandplans(3)mininginwatersheds,naturalforestsandprotectedareas(4)overlappinginstitutionalroles:LGUs,DENR,and,(5)weakenforcementofenvironmentallaws.

ShelikewisediscussedthefivemajorthrustsoftheMillenniumDevelopmentgoalsonensuringenvironmentalsustainability.Shealsocitednationallawsandpoliciestowardsthisendincluding:(1)RA7586(NIPAS)(2)RA9147(Wildlifelaw)(3)1997nationalbiodiversitystrategyandactionplan(NBSAP)andthe(4)2002PhilBiodiversityConservationPrioritiesProgramtostrengthenprotectedareassystemandprioritize132areas.

Theattendantdevelopmentplanforthisendeavouristoestablish15wildlifefarms,massivereforestation,promotetimberproductionandagroforestry,delineationof8.4Mhas.Offorestlandsforagroforestry,promoteinvestmentsinpermanentproductionforestsusingtenurialarrangements.

Shediscussedthethreatstotherealizationofthisintheformoflogging(legalandillegal),miningoperations,geothermalexplorations,damconstruction,agriculture,rapidpopulationgrowth/Uplandmigration,conversionfordevelopmentprojects.

Shelikewisediscussedtheresponsesmadebythegovernmentintermsofreforestationinitiatives,thelawsandpoliciesformulatedandthedevelopmentplansonreforestation,timberproductionandagroforestry,delineationofforestlands,issuanceofappropriatetenurialarrangements,corporateandcommunitybasedareadevelopment,structuralmigrationfornaturaldisasterprevention,openingofdenudedareas.

SheendedherpresentationbyintroducingtheconceptofintergenerationalequitywhichisalsoknownasIntergenerationalJustice,referstotherightofpresentandfuturegenerationstoahealthfulandbalancedecologyandtouse,benefitfromandenjoyournaturalresourcetreasures,emphasizingthatenvironmentaljusticeisacontinuingconcern.

FormulationofaWatershedBasedForestLandUsePlan(FLUP)

Mr.CasimiroOlvida,UplandsandGovernanceSpecialistofthePhilippineEnvironmentalGovernanceProjectgaveabriefOverviewofGovernanceOrientedFLUP.Highlightsofthepresentationwereasfollows:(1)EcoGovproject,aUnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment(USAID)technicalassistanceprojectfromtheUSgovernmenttothePhilippinegovernmentwith

1/5/2016 YourportaltoPhilippinecountrysidewatersupplydevelopment

http://www.lwua.gov.ph/watershed/watershed_index.htm 4/4

DevelopmentAlternatives,Inc.ascontractimplementor.TheprojectassistintheformulationofForestLandUsePlan(FLUP),CoastalResourcesManagement(CRM),andUrbanEnvironmentalManagement.(2)FLUPasakeyelementinreducingconflictsinmanagingforestandforestlands(FFL).

HealsointroducedtheconceptofchargingwatershedmanagementfeesaspartofthewatertariffbytheWDstogenerateassuredfundsforwatershedmanagement.

The"PuertoprincesaProtocol"

ThePuertoPrincesaProtocolwasdraftedwhichdeclaredcommitmentoftheWDstoprotectandprotectandconservethePhilippines'vitallifesupportingwatershedsthroughpartnershipsandjointundertakings.ThePAWDofficersandtherepresentativesoftheWDsreadthecontentsoftheprotocolandceremoniallyaffixedtheirsignaturestoendtheSummit.TherestoftheParticipantsthensignedtheProtocol.

Developed,designedandmaintainedbythePublicAffairsDepartment2011