Educators tackle need to conserve water

"Urgent action is needed to harness surface water to provide higher sustainable yields and to reduce the overexploitation of groundwater resources" was the call of Secretary Heherson T. Alvarez in his message read by Asec Rogelio V. Paglomutan during the opening of the 7th National Senior Educators Assembly in Environmental Protection and Management in Cagayan de Oro on Oct. 20, 2002. He added that the role of the State and the Filipino people to mitigate water pollution is equally important as our adherence to the cause of improving our air quality or the resolve to implement an ecologically sound solid waste management. According to the Secretary, the national population of more than 75 million people consumes about 80-90 percent of sustainable groundwater and less than 20 percent of surface water. However, while supply still outpaces demand, water quality has been deteriorating at a considerable rate indicating serious problems ahead.

The assembly was organized by the Philippine Tertiary Level Educational Institutions in Environmental Protection and Management (PATLEPAM) with the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the DENR, with the support of the United Nations Development (UNEP) in Bangkok, Thailand.

The assembly was hoped to serve as rallying point to support the implementation of water resources conservation measures as enunciated in the "Proposed Philippine Clean Water Act of 2002 which is now pending in Congress. The said bill aims to pursue economic growth in a manner consistent with the protection, preservation and revival of the quality of the country’s fresh, brackish and marine waters. It was also aimed to provide an avenue to disseminate the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan for 2000-2005, and review opportunities for its continued implementation in the country.

About 120 delegates composed of presidents and senior officials of higher education institutions nationwide attended the assembly. Congressman Nereus Acosta who graced the occasion delivered a message. Also present were local officials of Cagayan de Oro, and officers of PATLEPAM AND UNEP.

Various papers were presented to highlight the importance of water resources conservation. They were the following" Water Quality Status of Surface Waters in the Philippines issues and Concerns; Quality of Ground and Surface Waters and Pollution and Subsidence of Our Water Tables Water Sources Degradation; The Proposed Clean Water Bill, and Developing Partnership for Sustainable Watershed Management: The case of Mt. Isarog.