First Water-Watershed Summit 2019

Last November 28-29, 2019 at the Diversion 21 Hotel, the Iloilo Watershed Management Council and the Iloilo Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office together with various government agencies and stakeholders held a two-day Water-Watershed Summit with the theme of “Towards Achieving Water Security and Sustainability”.

The Day 1 agenda comprised of reports/presentations given by various stakeholders directly involved with the Maasin watershed—which in itself is a focal subject being the watershed that is responsible for a significant percentage of water supply for the City and Province of Iloilo.

The reporters for Day 1 include Forester Fred Canto, Regional Coordinator of the National Greening Program for DENR 6, with the topic: The Water Keeper and Mr. Rizandro Napone, Secretary Watershed Committee, Metro Iloilo Water District, with the topic: The Water User.

The Panel of Expert invited for the forum were Atty. Ipat Luna, Atty Maria Paz Luna Former USEC, DENR, Ms. Grisel Genial, representing RD Ariel Iglesia, Department of Interior and Local Government, Region VI,Atty Fortunato Operario. Jr, Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and Atty. Danny Valenzuela, Former CEO, Foundation for Philippine Environment.

The main thrust for the Day 1 morning session was for the stakeholder to give their report with a panel of invited experts to listen in and then, after all reports were given, for the panel of experts to give their recommendation to the reporters and to the audience at large, which comprised of—but not limited to—the municipal Mayors in attendance as well as various government NGOs and private company representatives in attendance while the afternoon session was reserved for the Local Chief Executives for the Tigum Aganan Watershed Management Board (TAWMB) and their respective MENROS to air out their sentiments made by the invited Panel of Experts in the morning, which was later followed by an Open Forum.

Day 2 was focused more on a the water consumers of Iloilo City as an audience. With a larger attendance than the first day, it featured updated reporting on the topics of “Climate Change A Threat to Water Security: Recommended Adaptation Strategies” by Director Shiela Oberio of the Iloilo Provincial Science and Technology Center and DOST VI, followed by “Sanitation and Waste Management for Local Government Units and the Community” by Mr. Jay Tecson, President for Partnership for Water Solution Inc.

This was concluded by the final two topics of Surface and Ground Water Regulation: Recommendations for LGUs and the Community by Engr. Susan Albaño, Chief for Policy and Research for the National Water Resource Board and Quarrying for Conservation and Development by Atty. Arthur Cangrejo, OIC for PGENRO and Engr. Alex Aquio for NEDA.

The event was made possible by the Iloilo Watershed Management Council, the Iloilo Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office and sponsored by the Metro Iloilo Water, the Metro Iloilo Bulk Water Supply Corporation and the Metro Iloio Water District.