At least 120 represe-ntatives from 53 barangays situated along the watershed areas together with the members of the Watershed Management Council and other stakeholders are meeting this Monday and Tuesday, October 15-16, 2012 to draft a management plan for the Panigan-Tamugan and Talomo-Lipadas Watersheds.
This is the first of a series of action plans to be drafted using the Davao Watershed Management Framework which was formulated by the Davao City Watershed Management Council (WMC), the implementing body of the Watershed Code. The WMC hopes to eventually draft action plans for all of Davao’s eight watersheds using this participatory approach.
Environmental academic experts Dr. Jessie Manuta from the Ateneo de Davao University and Dr. Ruth Gamboa of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao will be facilitating the management plan.
Interface Development Interventions, Inc. (IDIS) Executive Director Ann Fuertes said that this planning activity is part of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Watershed Code. “This activity aims to create an action plan for the Panigan-Tamugan and Talomo-Lipadas watersheds which will seek to address common issues across watersheds or resolve problems unique to each of the watershed,” Fuertes said.
This activity comes at a time when the WMC is already preparing to begin its watershed delineation project which will define the boundaries of upland areas which fall under Watershed Code protection.
The Code seeks to protect upland watershed areas by declaring these areas conservation areas and agro-forestry non-tillage areas as environmentally critical areas where resource extraction will be strictly prohibited.
Commercial monocrop tree farming, illegal occupation, quarrying and mining in these areas are some of the activities prohibited by the Code.
The Office of the City Mayor has already issued a memorandum for mandatory attendance last October 2, 2012. Acting City Administrator Atty. Zuleika T. Lopez signed the letter, underscoring the importance of the activity to the barangay captains.
“After the planning workshop, the results will be validated by stakeholders before it will be adopted by the WMC for implementation.”, said Fuertes.
The activity, which is being organized by the WMC, will be held at the Lantaw Bukid Farm Resort in Los Amigos, Davao City.
