2009-05-01 An Independent Report on the State of Ipo Watershed

8/14/2019 2009-05-01 An Independent Report on the State of Ipo Watershed

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An Independent Report on theState of Ipo Watershed

Prepared by a composite team

comprising of members of the

UP Mountaineers,

Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines and

concerned individuals

On April 30 to May 1, 2009, a composite teamcomprised of members of the UP Mountaineersand Mountaineering Federation of the Philippineswent on a fact-finding mission to Ipo Watershed inNorzagaray, Bulacan.

Their objective was to document human activitieswithin the watershed and its effect on the capacityof Ipo Watershed to supply Metro Manilas demandfor freshwater.

According to the 2004 joint study by the ForestManagement Bureau ofthe Department ofEnvironment and NaturalResources (DENR) and

the MetropolitanWaterworks andSewerage System(MWSS), 60-70% of the6,600-hectare IpoWatershed is denuded.The report points toillegal logging, slash-and-burn farming orkaingin, charcoal-making, and the

expansion of illegalsettlements as thecauses of the damage.

Five years have passed and the remaining 30% forest cover is still seriouslythreatened by the activities of the illegal settlers. Unabated human encroachmentwithin the perimeter of the watershed continues to put pressure on the environment.


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The map below shows the trail taken by the composite team through the watershed.Each point along the path as shown was recorded by a global positioning device. Theteam trekked along and across the Pako and Anginan Rivers, along and over steepridges for two days.

Route of the composite teams 2 day hike shown in red. Note the location of Ipo Dam and Angat Dam in the map.

Along the way, the team found approximately 50 sawn wood left on the ground andready for collection. Some of the wood came from areas reforested by the DENRprobably 5 or 8 years ago. The trees that were felled by the loggers in the reforestedareas were fast-growing and non-native species like mahogany and gemelina. Newlycut trees were also seen near the residence of the Dumagat chieftain in Sitio SapangPako.

Trees planted by the DENR 5 or 8 years ago are being cut by the illegal settlers.Position of photo on the left: N14 52.700 E121 10.422Position of photo on the right: N14 52.696 E121 10.451


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In the interior, dipterocarps are the timber of choice. The largest sawn wooddiscovered measured at least 15 feet long, 7 feet wide and 5 inches thick.

Wood wider than a mans outstretched armsPosition of photo on the left: N14 52.833 E121 11.294Position of photo on the right: N14 52.833 E121 11.294

Despite of the efforts by volunteer organizations and individuals to reforest thewatershed since 2006 and the recent launching of the Bantay Gubat by the DENR,kaingin is still rampant in the area.

The team was able to document and take geographic position data of more than 10newly-burned kainginareas averaging about 2 hectares each. The most extensive ofthese measured at least 3 hectares. More than 5000 trees was estimated to have

been cut down and burned in these new kaingin sites. Some of the trees had adiameter of 4-5 feet.

Pictures of one of the many newly-burned kainginsites.The blue square on the right side of both pictures is a makeshift shelter of the kaingeros.

Position: N14 53.124 E121 11.330


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There are at least 4000 fallen and burned trees in this kainginsite alone.

At least 10 old kaingin sites were also seen and these were left to grow with shrubsand grass. Kaingin farming is very inefficient and unsustainable as it allows oneviable harvest before the topsoil is eroded and leaves the area unsuitable for plantingthe next seasons crops. This is the one of the many reasons why kaingeros look fornew forests to burn down after each planting season.

Kainginhere, kainginthere, kaingineverywherePosition: N14 53.142 E121 11.003


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With the rate of illegal activities happening within the watershed and with the lack offorest protection measures, the group estimates that by year 2013, Ipo Watershedwill be completely denuded if no action is done to reverse the damage. The currentrate of deforestation is greater than the rate of reforestation.

Position: N14 53.124 E121 11.330

The growing number of illegal settlers puts heavy pressure on Ipo Watershed. Their

unsustainable practices such as kaingin, logging and charcoal-making greatly reducethe natural forest cover of the watershed. Without trees that control soil erosionduring the rainy season, silt will be heavily deposited on the upstream side of IpoDam, thereby affecting its water-holding capacity and the quality of water it stores.Heavily silted water places undue strain on water treatment facilities making it muchmore expensive to bring clean water into the metropolis. Likewise, with fewer treesduring the summer season, water supply will be endangered. The increasedreflectivity of sunlight from barren land warms up the atmosphere, reduces anddisperses clouds, and may eventually cause a decrease in rainfall. Trees keep thewater supply in a watershed intact


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Activities that are not permitted in watersheds are actually happening within IpoWatershed at an alarming rate. If these are not put to an end, Metro Manila will sufferby bearing with the rising cost of potable water, disruption of water supply, and unrestamongst the poor who may no longer be able to afford the cost of having clean waterbrought to their faucets.

The team appeals to MWSS, DENR and the two water concessionaires (ManilaWater Company, Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc.) that earn profit from thewater they get from Ipo Watershed to sit down and talk to each other in order to planand implement effective forest protection strategies. Without genuine forestprotection, all our reforestation efforts will be in vain.


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2009-05-01 An Independent Report on the State of Ipo Watershed

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