Co-ops continue support to DCWD’s Adopt-a-Site

Four more cooperatives joined the growing number of cooperative-adopters of Davao City Water District’s Adopt-a-Site project last October 2, 2012 during the  launching program of the Cooperative Month celebration this year themed “Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better World”. The cooperatives are DIPPSCOR Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DEMULCO), First Community Cooperative (FCC), JC Workers Members Cooperative (JCWMC) and King Cooperative.
To officially seal the commitment, DCWD OIC – assistant general manager for administration Mildred G. Aviles signed the memorandum of agreement with DEMULCO Chair Sanieto A. Sebellino, FCC Chair Jesus G. Cornito, JCWMC Chair Reywel R. Pomicpic and King Coop general manager Nestor D. Ortigoza. Each cooperative adopted one hectare of land inside Mt. Talomo-Lipadas watershed.
The adopters pledged to donate 6,000 pesos yearly for five years for the planting and maintenance services in their adopted lands. The services will be contracted through the utility’s community partners living inside the watershed area.  DCWD will take charge of the monitoring activities and other budgetary requirements.
Aviles encouraged other cooperatives to take part in the greening program and thanked adopters and the Davao City Cooperative Development Office (CCDO) and the Davao City Cooperative Development Council for supporting the utility’s Adopt-a-Site project.
Through multi-sectoral partnership, DCWD has completed the rehabilitation of 530 hectares inside Mt. Talomo-Lipadas watershed in year 2010.  In year 2011, DCWD also started the rehabilitation of an additional 470 hectares to complete the 1,000 hectares watershed rehabilitation project.
With DCWD’s success in the implementation of the Adopt-a-Site project, it serves as a model in conceptualizing the newly launched Lunhaw Dabaw Program (LDP) as emulated by the CCDO to further increase participation on environmental protection. The LDP is open for replication all over the countryside to eventually transform communities towards green Philippines or Lunhaw Pilipinas. [Jovana Duhaylungsod and Sylvia Vosotros]