THE Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) yesterday called on water districts nationwide to undertake aggressive reforestation work in watershed areas of their concession areas not only to protect and attain environmental balance but also to ensure steady water source for future generations.

LWUA Administrator & Acting Board Chair Lorenzo H. Jamora made the call even as he commended the officials and employees of the Davao City Water District (DCWD) for its continued and sustained “Save the Watersheds Program” which is now on its 13th year. The program involves reforestation, maintenance and protection of 34,695 hectares in watershed areas in Malagos Watershed Reservation and the Mt. Talomo-Lipadas Watershed.

Jamora also called on the public and the country’s top private corporations to support the “Adopt a Reforestation Site” project of the Davao City Water District which at present counts the support of 63 corporations, civic groups and institutions, including San Miguel Foundation, ABS-CBN Broadcasting, Ateneo Environmental Savers, Davao Medical Society, Boys Scout of the Philippines-Davao Chapter, Philippine National Police, Couples for Christ, M. Lhuillier Pawnshop, ABE International College and others.

The LWUA chief said that interested parties who want to adopt a reforestation site may coordinate with DCWD General Manager Rhodora Gamboa through Tel. Nos. (082) 226-4885 or 221-9400 or drop by at its offices at Jose P. Laurel Avenue Davao City. Inquiries may also be coursed through its e-mail address: dcwd@davao-water.gov.ph.

DCWD Spokesperson Romel M. Amoguis explained that under the “Adopt a Site” project, an individual or corporation will be requested to sponsor the development of at least one hectare area in the said watersheds by donating P6,000 annually to the water district for five years or a total of P30,000. He said that on the first year the amount will be used by the DCWD in the procurement of seedlings of fruit bearing and forest trees, development of the adopted site such as brushing, staking, holing, fertilizing and planting. It also includes administration cost, he added.

Amoguis pointed out that the donations for the second up to the fifth year will be utilized in maintenance activities such as brushing, weeding, fertilizing and replanting whenever necessary. He said that the rehabilitation work of the Davao City watersheds actually started as early as 1993 but it was only in 1995 that the DCWD pushed for a more aggressive work on reforestation by establishing people’s organizations. And in 1997, the Davao City Water District created a regular unit in its corporate structure to manage the program. It is called the DCWD Environment and Watershed Protection Division (EWPD) with regular plantilla staff.

Administrator Jamora noted that the pioneering effort of the Davao City Water District in creating a special unit called the EWPD should also be emulated by other big, large and very large water districts in order to ensure continued availability of safe and potable water in their respective areas.

Jamora disclosed that for the last five years the water districts, including those in the small and average categories have started developing and managing watershed areas. He stressed that the effort on this concern should now be doubled for the sake of the next generations of Filipinos.
c October 12 , 2006