Bohol creates Lubang watershed

Council to manage development

CORTES, Bohol, (PIA)—Considering that Bohol keeps a lot of watersheds that need sustainable management to be useful for the communities that are within it, the establishment of the Lubang Management Council may be another chance at having another role model and attract international attention and support.

This sums up the remarks shared by Romeo S. Teruel, former Integrated Natural Resource and Environment Management Project (INREMP) technical executive officer, who for years, worked with communities in addressing unsustainable resource management of key watersheds and basins in Bohol.

In a chance interview, Teruel, gave the comment just as Bohol through Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado signed a multi-party Memorandum of Agreement on the creation of Lubang Watershed Management Council (LWMC), in support of the Inabanga-Buenavista Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserve and Wilderness Area.

Lubang Watershed, comprised of 3,156.07 hectares covers 21 barangays of Buenavista where 68% of the watershed area is designated alienable and disposable, 24 % forestlands and some 6.79 % protected areas that a management council pursuant to Executive Order No 192 mandating the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as the primary government agency and the LGUS responsible in the conservation, management and protection and development of natural resources within their territories, has been identified.

And in a show of will power, Buenavista town, which is directly tasked to oversee the watershed and its development asserted that it has to approve all management policies and activities within the alienable and disposable tracts of the watershed, for them to agree to the Management Council Creation.

As such, the council is tasked to create the Watershed Management Planning Team for the creation of the integrated watershed management plan, participate in the formulation of policies that support the inter-agency cooperation and contribute in the management of the resources and development activities.

The LWMC also reviews policies and recommends specific actions, join in the monitoring of activities, ensure enforcement of environmental laws in coordination with law enforcement agencies.

The management council can also endorse to the DENR, persons for deputation, facilitate the resolution of issues and conflicts that may arise in the watershed, formulate internal rules, regulations and guidelines as well as coordinate with existing watershed management councils within the area to ensure watershed programs , projects and activities complement with that of the other councils.

The LWMC is chaired by the DENR, co chaired by the governor and with the superintendent of the protected area, Buenavista mayor, National Irrigation Administration Regional Manager, Department of Public Works and Highways District Engineer for the second district, Department of Agriculture Regional Executive Director, Bohol Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer, Buenavista Water District manager, Provincial Engineer, Provincial Agriculturist, Bohol Provincial Environment and Management Office and the DENR Cenro in Talibon.

Teruel hailed the move as it shows that the people and communities themselves are now owning the responsibility of taking care, protecting, conserving and managing the resources.

Clearly, the government alone can not do this effectively, he said.

The government should be there to provide support, and we hope other watersheds follow suit, because the more, the better, Teruel said. (PIABohol)

SUSTAINING LUBANG WATERSHED. PENRO Jose Cary Cleo Colis explains to the newly created Watershed Management Council the implications of the creation of the council which shall now be jointly looking into the development and utilization of the watershed to ensure its sustainability. (PIABohol)