A Thematic Paper for the Gen

8/6/2019 A Thematic Paper for the Gen

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The Case of the Critical River Basins in the Central Cebu Protected Landscape

A THEMATIC PAPER

Engr. Lasaro Salvacion

Department Manager

EWRD/

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN ASIAN RIVER BASINS

METROPOL

ITANCEBUWA

TER

D

ISTR

ICT

*1974 *

*

*

*


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ABSTRACT

This paper will discuss on the climate change adaptation strategies in the critical river

basins of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape namely: Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed

Forest Reserve and the Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve which will be directlyproportional to the discussion of basically the freshwater sector and the corresponding

water resources.

To be able to grasp the macro picture on the Philippines climate change advocacy, this

will also state the beginnings of the Philippines commitment on climate change initial

strategies conducted; when it started and what agencies helped the Philippine to come upwith its climage change strategic plan.

However, there will be cross-cutting issues that will also need to be emphasized due to its

integrated-ness of the issue on Climate Change.

The discussion will familiarize us and give us the background of the Philippines, in

general and Cebus situation in particular with regard to the environmental situation ofthe locality; its hydrological units situation and most especially manifestations of a

growing concern for Climate change.

This paper will also illustrate to the reader what is the role of the Metropolitan Cebu

Water District, and getting to know the water district itself and its ongoing strategies and

plans directed towards a strengthened advocacy on climate change.

Since this paper will be presented in the National Hydrologic Research Institute of

Malaysia (NAHRIM), it will also highlight what MCWDs expectations from NAHRIMand its proposed needed support to actualize future engagements of MCWD withNAHRIM.


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BACKGROUND

The Philippine engagement in developing global policies on climate change started

during the convening of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Climate

Change. This was during the period of Mrs. Corazon Aquinos presidency in the yearMay 8, 1991. It paved the way for the former President Corazon Aquino to pass the

Executive Order 220 in that same year which created the Philippine Inter-Agency

Committee on Climate Change (IACCC). The IACCC is a technical and policy-makingbody tasked to coordinate all climate change initiatives in the country.

The IACCC is being chaired by the Central Office of the Department of Environment andNatural Resources and co-chaired by the Department of Science and Technology. It is

composed of fifteen governmental agencies, non-government organizations and the

academe.

The Philippines made a commitment to the international community to reduce itsemissions of the greenhouse gases by 20% of the 1990 Inventory of the Greenhouse

Gases Emission in 2005. This is part of a commitment being a country party to theUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) together with the GlobalEnvironment Facility aided the Philippines in the formulation of the First National

Communication Process on Climate Change. Thus, the Philippines Initial

Communication on Climate Change was drafted in December 1999. This was part of thecommitment as signatory to the International policy.

However, from 1991 up to the present, the momentum of its advocacy was not sustainedand the technical people who are assigned to these specific tasks are much complacentand was not able to effectively diffuse the information, communication and education

strategies and the programs needed in the Philippines governmental structure.


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INTRODUCTION

Structurally, the campaign on climate change has not trickled down to the regional level

of the national government agencies, provincial and local levels. From the year 1991 up

to the present, the lead government agency which is the Department of Environment andNatural Resources has not translated the campaign in concrete aspects like having a sub-

office or committee handling the technical and policy components in the region by which

Metro Cebu belongs (that is Region 7 or Central Visayas Area.). Vulnerabilityassessments, likewise, have not actually been conducted in the critical river basins of

Metropolitan Cebu, specifically, Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve and Mananga

Watershed Forest Reserve.

On the other hand, there are other agencies like non-profit institutions and some local

government units, though, that have acted and mobilized in the rising advocacy for

climate change.

Nevertheless, in totality, not much attention has been given to it in the Metropolitan

Cebu. If there are adaptation strategies on climate change, it is very reactive in nature.One factor that is contributory to this situation is the lack of knowledge, awareness, and

data of climate change impacts. Not even the Philippine First National Communication

on Climate Change that was crafted in December 1999 has been discussed in the regionallevel and in most cases in multi-sectoral conferences and consultations.

There may be a reason of the lack of technical people, the tools and the technology toaddress climate change impact projections, vulnerability assessments, planning and

development of coping measures and evaluation of adaptation strategies in the local level.

Yet, the efforts to convene stakeholders and to address the issues of mandate andenvironmental governance is primordial which may have been taken for grantedespecially that environment concerns are not basically a priority.


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Profile of the Institution

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD)is a very large water district and the only

water district in the Philippines that has been issued an ISO 9001:2000 certified. It is a

government owned and controlled corporation since March 1982 and was created onFebruary 1, 1975 by the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973 or Presidential Decree

198 and Resolution No.1378 by the Cebu City Council dated July 18, 1974.

Our Water Sources

Metro Cebu is basically groundwater dependent; Metro Cebu Water Districtsgroundwater source have a total of 109 water wells, 19 reservoirs for water storage and a

high level reservoir in Liloan, Cebu.

On the other hand, MCWDs semi-surface water source, is the Mananga Phase 1 Project

located in Mananga, Jaclupan, Talisay City. It is a 65-hectare water channel having deepwell pumps, settling basin and an infiltration basin occupying only 1/3 of its total land

area. It also has a 3-hectare seedling nursery facility and the remaining 30 hectares is

concentrated to its greening project.

Its surface water source is taken from theBuhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve where

the only dam of Region 7 exists. The dam was

built in 1911 with a height of 27 meters and 45-meter wide floodgate. It generates an average of

4,000 cubic meters of water daily supplying the

Tisa Filter Plant.


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Our Service Areas

The concessionaires or the water users of the Metropolitan Water District are spread out

in the four (4)municipalities and four (4) cities namely: the Municipalities ofConsolacion, Compostela, Cordova, & Liloan and Compostela, the Cities of Cebu,

Mandaue , Talisay and Lapulapu.

Mactan

Is.

Composed of:Composed of:

~ 4 Municipalities~ 4 Municipalities

Consolacion, Compostela, CordovaConsolacion, Compostela, Cordova& Liloan& Liloan

~ 4 Cities~ 4 CitiesCebu City, Lapulapu City, Mandaue City &Cebu City, Lapulapu City, Mandaue City &

Talisay CityTalisay City

Cebu CityCebu City

Mandaue CityMandaue City

ConsolaConsolacioncion

Lilo-Lilo-anan

CompostelCompostelaa

Talisay CityTalisay City

Lapu-Lapu CityLapu-Lapu City

CordovaCordova

MCIAA

A Thematic Paper for the Gen

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