CITY OF KORONADAL — To conserve, preserve and protect the existing watershed areas in South Central Mindanao, the Marbel-Buluan Watershed Management Alliance (<BWMA) was recently formed during the MBWMA Stakeholders Conference at Greenstate here spearheaded by the South Cotabato Prpvincial Environment Management Office (PEMO).
The Marbel-Buluan Watershed, according to PEMO, is a catchment of major river systems, namely;,, Marbel, Palian and Taplan Rivers that drains towards Lake Buluan and eventually draims towaards a common outlet going to the municipality of Pandag in Maguindanao. It has an area of 121,861.43 hectares.
The alliance is composed of 3 provinces together with natiomal government agencies (NGAs) and partner non-government organizations (NGOs). These include the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao, together with some component LGus under their respective jurisdiction that are located within the watershed area. For South Cotabato, the LGUs that joined the alliance are the City of Koronadal, Tampakan, Tupi, Tantangan, Banga and Norala; Sultan Kudarat – Tacurong City, Lutayan, Columbio and President Quirino; Maguindanao – Buluan, Mangudadatu, Pandag and Piglat,
Meanwhile, NGA members in the alliance are DENR, DPWH, DILG, DA, NIA, NCIP and MMinDA. Aside from NGOs who are advocates on environment conservation, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and members of te Academe also joined the alliance.
Representatives of the 3 provinces signed the Statement of Commitment presented by Dausay Daulog of Maguindanaoan Development Foundation Inc. after delivering their respective Message of Support. Board Member Alan Ines, SP Committee Chair on Environment, represented Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. during the signing ceremony.
Earlier during the conference proper, 3 top[ics were presented to the participants. They were River Basin and Watershed Concept – Forester Jeric Angeles (Forest Management Bureau); Initiatives of MinDA on Mindanao River Basin Management (Scope and Coverage, Programs and Projects) – Gerardo Ramon Cesar Reynaldo (MinDA), and, Powers of LGUs on Water Resources – Atty. Ryan Jay Roset ( Legal Resource Center—Kasama sa Kalikasan).
South Cotabato PEMO Siegfred Flaviano presented the Rationale of the Cpnference while City ENRO Augustus Bretana, Interim Alliance Head Secretariat, also presented the Proposed Alliance Formation (Technical Working Group and draft Memorandum of Agreement)
An open forum, was also conducted wherein questions were raised by some participants and answered by the panel of speakers.
City Mayor Eliordo Ogena formally welcomed the conference delegates while DENR 12 Regional Executive Director Atty. Feliz Alicer also delivered a Message.
