DENR to train Maynilad people on forest protection

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will train this summer the 86 members of the Maynilad Water Services Inc. corps of army reservists assigned at the La Mesa Watershed on forest protection.

The training aims to provide the participants with knowledge and skills on watershed protection, with particular emphasis on forest fire management. The possible long dry spell that can make watersheds vulnerable to forest fire. The exercise will also prepared the participants for possible designation as DENR forest protection officers detailed at the La Mesa watershed. Ultimately, it will improve the capability of this watershed in complementing the water supply drawn from the Angat Reservoir in sustaining the water needs of the 12 million residents of Metro Manila and its immediate neighbors.

La Mesa Watershed has a total area of 2,700 hectares. It is considered as the last remaining forest of its size in Metro Manila. Over the years, it has been subjected to encroachment, slash-and-burn farming, quarrying, illegal timber harvesting and indiscriminate cutting of trees for firewood, thus leaving it with only about P1,000 hectares of forest cover. The situation could have been worse if not for the tree planting activities done by the DENR, other government agencies, schools, and non-government organizations and groups.

At present, the ABS-CBN Bantay Kalikasan through its La Mesa Reforestation Project, is spearheading the reforestation of this watershed in collaboration with the two private concessionaires of MWSS, the Maynilad and Manila Water Co. Maynilad is responsible for the rehabilitation, expansion and operation of zone west of the MWSS service area for 25 years.