MWSS chief cites need for sustained watershed protection for supply security

Stressing the urgent need to protect our country’s forest cover to protect our watersheds for water security and sustainable development, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco called on all major stakeholders from both government and private sector to pool their resources together for enhanced watershed protection and management.

Velasco said the country's forest cover within forestland is now only 51.2% or 8.08 million hectares are remaining forestlands which means the area has not been forested and that the remaining 48.8% comprises of 38.6% (6.10 M ha.) forested and 10.2% (1.61 M ha.) new forest, a benefit from the government's National Greening Program.

Velasco recently addressed close to 1,000 delegates at the Philwater 2017 Conference in Bohol organized by the Philippine Waterworks Association (PWWA) with the theme, “Shared Water Resources in River Basins for Sustainable Management and Development” that brought together water supply providers, regulatory authorities, researchers, consumers, contractors, suppliers, and environmentalists, from all over the country to discuss water concerns.

Citing a Philippine Development Plan data, Velasco said that the Philippines is blessed with abundant water resources with the country’s 421 principal and 18 major river basins and renewable water totaling 479 billion cubic meters from which water can be drawn for beneficial use.

“These water resource, however, are threatened with wanton disregard for environmental conservation and protection. Deforestation has greatly affected our country’s watersheds,” Velasco said.

He continued that watersheds need trees in order to absorb rainwater which channels it into streams, rivers and eventually dams where human communities source fresh water.

The country, Velasco said, is faced with the sad reality that our forest cover decreased by 328,682 ha from 7,168,400 ha in 2003 to 6,839,718 ha in 2010 which represents and annual forest cover loss of 46,954 ha.

“Recognizing the importance of watersheds in supporting the water supply of Metro Manila and adjoining provinces, MWSS has embarked on projects geared towards the sustainable management on watersheds,” he added.

MWSS launched this year the Annual Million Tree Challenge, a reforestation project to benefit the six critical watersheds that supply Metro Manila’s potable water such as La Mesa, Angat, Ipo, Marikina, Laguna Lake and Umiray. AMTC aims to plant a million trees every year for the duration of the Duterte Administration.

Velasco also cited the successful Private-Public Partnership (PPP) with its concessionaires not only in the provision of efficient service and operations but also in the area of watershed protection and management.

Velasco said MWWS concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water have also their respective programs on watershed management namely: Maynilad’s Plant for Life, a multi-site reforestation program that includes the areas along the coastlines of Laguna Lake and Manila Bay; and, Manila Water’s Adopt-A-Watershed Program where they have reforested over 149 hectares in the Ipo watershed alone and others areas in La Mesa and Laguna Lake.

Aside from the MWSS chief, other prominent guests at the Philwater 2017 include Manila Water President Ferdinand Dela Cruz, Maynilad President Ramoncito Fernandez, Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Administrator Jeci A. Lapus, and UBM Director of Business Development Elaine van Doorn.