FSUU spearheads Save Taguibo Watershed Network

A Watershed Forum aimed at establishing a network of concerned groups and individuals who will take the lead in the campaign to stop the alleged illegal activities in the proclaimed Taguibo River Watershed Forest Reserve (TRWFR) was conducted on July 15, 2009 by Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) at the Ampitheater of the FSUU Abp. Camelo D.F. Morelos Campus, Libertad, Butuan City.

The FSUU invited the Charter President of Philippine Watershed Management Coalition (PWMC), Dr. Jessica C. Salas, to provide a briefing on watershed management; the Regional Director Carmencita S. Cochingco of NEDA Caraga to present the Regional Development Council – Regional Land Use Committee (RDC – RLUC) updates on the Taguibo watershed issues, and; the General Manager of BCWD, Engr. Anselmo Sangtian to talk about the effects of the alleged illegal activities on the water supply in Butuan City.

The forum was immediately organized by FSUU after determining that no concrete action has been undertaken by the appropriate agency on the reports of the Butuan City Water District (BCWD) on the alleged illegal activities proliferating within the proclaimed Taguibo watershed area. The alleged illegal activities include mining, theft of manganese ores donated by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte, cutting of trees and construction/rehabilitation of road traversing Barangay Anticala in Butuan City to Sitio Malinhawod in San Antonio, RTRomualdez, Agusan del Norte. Among the alleged illegal activities, the on-going illegal road construction/rehabilitation was confirmed by a composite team led by NCIP after its visit at the portion of the Taguibo watershed area situated in Barangay Anticala, Butuan City on July 26, 2009. The locations of other alleged illegal activities are in Sitio Malinhawod, San Antonio, RTRomualdez, Agusan del Norte which shall be visited by the team soon.

The issues confronting the proclaimed Taguibo River Watershed were first raised by BCWD to the Regional Development Council (RDC) in CY 2005. The alleged illegal activities included mining and clearing of trees along the established skyline that transport the ores from the source down to the storage area. A composite team was organized by the DENR to validate the alleged illegitimate activities within the watershed area. On August 9, 2005, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) issued a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) and confiscated a total of 1,298 MT of manganese ores at Sitio Malinhawod, San Antonio, RTRomualdez, Agusan del Norte. Through a Memorandum of Agreement, the DENR donated the confiscated mineral ores to the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte.

In CY 2008, the issues on the alleged illegal activities within the watershed surfaced again. The BCWD has reported the presence of these unlawful activities to the DENR since the early part of CY 2008. However, up to this time, no concrete action has been undertaken by the concerned agency to stop the alleged illegal activities within the proclaimed watershed area. The BCWD further claimed that the on-going road construction/rehabilitation, which started in CY 2008 and has already reached 10.6 kms in CY 2009, has caused the rise in the turbidity level of the Taguibo River with the road serving as the conveyance of the surface run-off from the top ridge during rainy days. The run-off passes through the gullies down to the Taguibo River making its water muddy. The BCWD is compelled to temporarily shut-off its pressure regulating bulb (PRB) facility located in Taguibo whenever it rains heavily to prevent the flow of muddy water to be distributed to its consumers in Butuan City.

The alleged resumption of illegal activities within the proclaimed Taguibo watershed were raised during the Regional Land Use Committee Meeting on April 17, 2009. After thorough deliberation, the Committee recommended to the RDC for the DENR to reactivate the Taguibo Watershed Management Council (TWMC) to resolve policy issues and ensure the protection of the area. The Taguibo issues were discussed during the 59th RDC Full Council Meeting on May 12, 2009. The DENR, a regular member of the RDC, requested the Council to defer further the discussion of the issues to allow the agency to resolve the matters at the agency level first. The DENR also informed the RDC that the agency has been facilitating for the crafting of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the reactivation of the Taguibo Watershed Management Council (TWMC). Relatedly, the agency requested the RDC for Private Sector Representatives (PSRs) interested to sit in the TWMC.

The Taguibo River is the main source of BCWD for potable water supply for Butuan City and for irrigation water of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). The proclaimed Taguibo watershed covers portion of the public domain of Barangay Anticala in Butuan City, San Antonio in RTRomualdez, Barangay Mahaba in Cabadbaran and Sibagat. The protection, maintenance and improvement of the water yield of the Taguibo River Watershed were the main reasons for the declaration of the area into a forest reserve through Presidential Proclamation No. 1076 issued on September 4, 1997 by then President Fidel V. Ramos.

Moreover, results of the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor Assessment and Archiving Project (EMBCAAP) showed the presence of endangered flora and fauna at the portion of the proclaimed Taguibo watershed that forms part of the Mt. Hilong-hilong Range. The Mt. Hilong-hilong Range is a key biodiversity area (KBAs) within the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor (EMBC), one of only three (3) biodiversity corridors in the country. The EMBCAAP was funded under the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and implemented by the Philippine Eagle Foundation Inc. in collaboration with the University of the Philippines – Mindanao, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology, Conservation International – Philippines and the DENR from July 2004 until October 2007. The primary objectives of the project was to generate scientific information on the species richness and occurrence of forest vertebrates and plants, local uses of species and habitats, biodiversity threats and indicator/surrogate species for community-based monitoring.

by Graziella C. Harting, NEDA Caraga

www.caraga.neda.gov.ph