By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Feb 3 (PIA) -- The
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) allocated
P9.501-million budget to further stabilize banks and streams of nine identified
watershed areas in Central Visayas in 2013.
The nine pre-determined watersheds which are up for bank stabilization are those from Buhisan, Argao, Asturias, and Luyang in Carmen in Cebu province.
It also includes the Wahig and Acar Watersheds in Carmen, Bohol province; Hilabagan and Bayawan Watersheds in Negros Oriental and Bandilaan Watershed Siquijor province.
DENR-7 regional executive director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo said, this is in line with the soil conservation and watershed management programs of the department to arrest soil erosion through the adoption of soil and water conservation measures.
He added that this project aims to maintain or improve the hydrologic integrity of the watershed areas, thus, avoiding any depreciation of the downstream benefits of the irrigation systems to identified watersheds in the country.
“We have to maintain and protect our watersheds because these are mostly source of domestic water use, irrigation, power, agriculture and other purposes,” Montejo said.
Based on a report released by the Forest Management Services (FMS), Cebu gets the biggest amount of P4.413 million; Bohol with P2.232 million; Negros Oriental with P2.296 million, and P.560 million for Siquijor province.
“Basically, our watersheds are our life supporting systems and we must as a community endeavor to sustain its purpose and not to degrade or destroy them,” he concluded.
Aside from bank stabilization, DENR-7 will also conduct a vulnerability assessment to Combado Watershed, Cebu; and Okoy or Banica Watershed in Negros Oriental.(mbcn/HFG-PIA 7/DENR-7)
The nine pre-determined watersheds which are up for bank stabilization are those from Buhisan, Argao, Asturias, and Luyang in Carmen in Cebu province.
It also includes the Wahig and Acar Watersheds in Carmen, Bohol province; Hilabagan and Bayawan Watersheds in Negros Oriental and Bandilaan Watershed Siquijor province.
DENR-7 regional executive director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo said, this is in line with the soil conservation and watershed management programs of the department to arrest soil erosion through the adoption of soil and water conservation measures.
He added that this project aims to maintain or improve the hydrologic integrity of the watershed areas, thus, avoiding any depreciation of the downstream benefits of the irrigation systems to identified watersheds in the country.
“We have to maintain and protect our watersheds because these are mostly source of domestic water use, irrigation, power, agriculture and other purposes,” Montejo said.
Based on a report released by the Forest Management Services (FMS), Cebu gets the biggest amount of P4.413 million; Bohol with P2.232 million; Negros Oriental with P2.296 million, and P.560 million for Siquijor province.
“Basically, our watersheds are our life supporting systems and we must as a community endeavor to sustain its purpose and not to degrade or destroy them,” he concluded.
Aside from bank stabilization, DENR-7 will also conduct a vulnerability assessment to Combado Watershed, Cebu; and Okoy or Banica Watershed in Negros Oriental.(mbcn/HFG-PIA 7/DENR-7)