TAWMB to hold congress on water crisis and climate change

PIA Press Release 2009/03/18

TAWMB to hold congress on water crisis and climate change

Iloilo (18 March) -- The Tigum-Aganan Watershed Management Board (TAWMB) will gather together some 400 members of the Barangay Information Centers in a congress that will showcase community initiatives in managing water crisis and climate change.

TAWMB Chairperson Alimodian Mayor Juanito Alipao said the congress will be hosted by the municipality of Oton under the leadership of Mayor Vicente Flores, which is one of the local government units composing the TAWMB.

The other municipalities are Pavia, Cabatuan Sta. Barbara, Maasin, Leon and San Miguel, while member agencies and institutions come from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National irrigation Administration, Metro Iloilo Water district, Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine Information Agency, Aganan River federation of Irrigators Association, Central Philippine University, Kahublagan sang Panimalay Foundation, and the KAPAWA, a people's organization in Maasin.

A highlight of the congress, other than the exhibits, will be the signing of a Position Paper prepared by the members, which calls for the national government to implement an emergency action plan to restore the water-producing capacity of the Maasin watershed as well as for local government units to upscale the use of rainwater harvesting technologies and strategies to save rain water.

Alipao said the position paper also calls for the LGUs to protect ground water resources by installing monitoring system of all wells more than 30 meters deep and by passing an ordinance to exact fees to be spent for expenses on ground water protection.

Expected to deliver messages during the congress are Congresswoman Janette Garin, Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. and Dir. Ramon B. Alikpala of the National Water Regulatory Board.

The TAWMB will bring the members of the media and the guests, to a field tour of the farm areas practicing rainwater harvesting technologies in Oton, where farmer cooperators will share their experiences. (PIA 6/ESS)

Cabatuan.com - Timeline 2009