Protecting watershed
THE continued loss and destruction of the remaining forests across the globe, including the Philippines, contribute to the worsening of the problem of climate change.
Fortunately, however, there are private establishments and pro-environment men and women, who are ready to help state authorities in addressing the problem.
This, they will do, by planting trees, such as narra, mahogany, yakal, agohoy, ipil, kamagong and fruit-bearing trees in watershed areas in various parts of the nation.
In impoverished Philippines, there are 412 principal water basins in 119 proclaimed watersheds. Of the number, 19 are considered major water basins.
And the largest proclaimed watershed in this nation of more than 110 million people is the 180,460-hectare Lake Lanao Watershed Reservation in Mindanao.
The Manila Water Company (Manila Water) has planted and nurtured over 1.4 million trees under its ambitious “Watershed Protection and Management Program.”
Since the launching of the program in 2006, Manila Water has partnered with the DENR, MWSS, various LGUs and indigenous people living in watershed communities.
Its water protection efforts focus on the Ipo Watershed, Norzagaray, Bulacan; La Mesa Watershed, Quezon City; Upper Marikina Watershed, Marikina City; and General Nakar Watershed in Quezon.
Like Manila Water, we believe that launching of the multi-pronged “Watershed Protection and Management Program” will go a long way in addressing climate change.
It’s a move that deserves the all-out support of the Filipino people, including the ordinary citizens.
