PB supports creation of river council

CEBU, Philippines -  The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has declared its support to the newly formed Central Cebu River Basins Management Council (CCRBMC) chaired by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

The PB passed the resolution sponsored by Board Members Thadeo Ouano and Sergio Restauro declaring their support in their regular session last Monday.

Respecting the mandates of member government agencies and the promotion of multi-stakeholders’ participation in decision-making made the PB to support the council, said Ouano.

“The local government of Cebu Province recognizes the vital role of various stakeholders in the protection, rehabilitation, development, management and utilization of the natural resources within the Central Cebu river basins,” Ouano said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has forged a partnership with various National Government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations and other stakeholders for the creation of the CCRBMC through a memorandum of cooperation last July 20.

The council will use an “ecosystems approach” to river management that considers interdependent factors like forest cover and socio-economics and will work with the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape. However, PAMB will deal with infrastructure within Cebu’s forests.

The partnership is said to be proof that the DENR is serious in its pursuit for an integrated watershed management.

The agreement said the present state of river basins, particularly those in central Cebu, calls for immediate rehabilitation, protection and conservation to ensure sustainable water supply.

The Office of the President issued a directive creating the Inter-Agency Task Force on Cebu Water Resource Management to provide opportunity for partnership and collaboration among concerned sectors of society for an integrated approach in water resources management as spearheaded by DENR Region 7.

The Task Force identified the need to form with the CCRBMC to sustain and ensure the coordinated development and management of water, land and other related river basin resources.