DENR pushes for intensified watershed management along Cagayan River basin

BAGUIO CITY, Feb. 3(PIA) - - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Cordillera (DENR – CAR) will lead an intensified reforestation and watershed management programs for this year in support to the Build Back Better Task Force(BBBTF)  created under Executive Order No. 120 signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on  November 18, 2020.

DENR – CAR Regional Director Ralph Pablo, in a virtual coordination meeting with the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC), explained that the BBBTF was created for post – disaster rehabilitation and recovery phase in typhoon – affected areas beginning with those hit by typhoons Rolly and Ulysses last year.

DENR - CAR Regional Director Ralph Pablo outlines that Cordillera being the watershed cradle of the north plays an important role in forest and watershed protection and management. (CCD/PIA CAR)

The BBBTF has six key results areas (KRAs) namely Better and Resilient Infrastructures, Stronger Shelter and Resilient Settlement, Improved Systems and Essential Services, Restored Sustainable Livelihood, Strengthened Governance thru broad-based citizens Input, and Intensified Watershed Management.

Pablo explained that typhoons Rolly and Ulysses had not much effect in the Cordillera region but with the massive flooding that happened in Cagayan Valley Region during the onslaught of   Ulysses, CAR’s support to the BBBTF will focus on intensified water management programs along the Cagayan River Watershed Basin especially along the provinces of Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Apayao.

For Integrated Watershed Management KRA which DENR is the lead agency,  Pablo reported that DENR – CAR has a total allocation of around P75.45 million for the enhancement of forest cover through reforestation and agroforestry including the   Enhanced National Greening Program, Soil Conservation through Small Water Impounding System (SWIS) projects and Intensified forest protection and anti – illegal logging campaign.

For other partner agencies, the DSWD will be implementing Cash – for – Work on Risk Resiliency Program on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction; the Department of Science and Technology will work on community empowerment through science and technology transfer and commercialization of programs on DRR and CCA while the National Irrigation Administration will support through watershed tree planting projects; sediment control projects and development of small water impounding infrastructures, Pablo  said.

Improving the ecological health of our watershed will eventually also help reduce flooding, soil erosion and sedimentation along the Cagayan Valley river, he stressed.

Cordillera watersheds are also contributary to the Cagayan Valeey River and other water resources in Northern Luzon. (Photo by Redjie Melvic Cawis/PIA CAR) 

For the other KRAs, Pablo reported that DENR – CAR as the focal agency, is also already collating their implementation plans, and this will all be submitted to the BBBTF chaired by DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu.

For the IMPLANS of partner agencies in each of the 6 KRAs, Pablo also explained that for this year, what they will be including are related programs and projects in their approved 2021 GAA or General Appropriations Act, then for the succeeding years, planning or inclusion of other projects must already be included in their agency proposed projects.

CRDRRMC Chairperson and Office of Civil Defense Cordillera Regional Director Albert Mogol called for the coordination meeting to determine the scope of the BBBTF in CAR and to align, if needed the KRAs in the Post Disaster Need Analysis framework that is incorporated in the Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan of the council. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)

 

Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)