(SALUTATIONS)

CLIMATE CHANGE GREATLY CONTRIBUTES TO WATERSHED DEGRADATION,  WHILE HUMAN ACTIVITIES ARE STILL LARGELY CONNECTED TO THE HEALTH  OF THE COUNTRY’S WATERSHEDS.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 130 CRITICAL WATERSHEDS IN THE COUNTRY  THAT DESPERATELY NEED IMMEDIATE PROTECTION AND REHABILITATION  TO MINIMIZE EROSION  AND IMPROVE WATER YIELD.

IF WE CAN DO THAT AND FAST,  THESE CRITICAL WATERSHEDS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE BENEFITS THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR OVERALL ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AS A NATION.

LET US BE CONSTANTLY REMINDED THAT APPROPRIATE STEWARDSHIP IS NEEDED IN OUR WATERSHEDS FOR US TO MITIGATE THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE-INDUCED DISASTERS. PEOPLE’S SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT ACTIONS, THEREFORE,  IS STILL THE KEY.

IT IS ON THIS PREMISE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES  IS LAUNCHING TODAY A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO “SAVE OUR WATERSHED” AS A PLATFORM TO ENCOURAGE PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS FOR THIS CAUSE.

SPEARHEADED BY THE FOREST MANAGEMENT BUREAU,  THIS CAMPAIGN TAKES OFF FROM THE JICA-ASSISTED FORESTLAND MANAGEMENT PROJECT OR F-M-P,  A 10-YEAR WATERSHED REHABILITATION PROJECT  THAT AIMS TO STRENGTHEN FORESTLAND MANAGEMENT THROUGH COLLABORATIVE,  HOLISTIC,  COMPREHENSIVE,  AND SUSTAINABLE FORESTLAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.

PRIMARILY,  THE CAMPAIGN SEEKS TO ORGANIZE, CONVENE,  AND ENABLE THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS OF THE WATERSHED GOVERNING BODIES  TO FORGE FORMAL DECLARATIONS OF COMMITMENT  AND PARTNERSHIPS TOWARDS SOUND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE, AND SUSTAINABLY PRESERVE THE INVESTMENTS OF VARIOUS WATERSHED INITIATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENT,  THE PRIVATE SECTOR,  AND OTHER SUPPORT INSTITUTIONS.

THE CAMPAIGN,  REFLECTING ON THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FORESTLAND MANAGEMENT PROJECT, // IS ENVISIONED TO BE EMULATED AND REPLICATED  IN OTHER REGIONS AND PROVINCES.  WE HOPE THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE SAVE OUR WATERSHED CAMPAIGN RIPPLES THROUGH TO ALL DENR REGION OFFICES,  FOREIGN-ASSISTED PROJECTS,  AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS WITH INITIATIVES ON WATERSHED CONSERVATION.

AS THE DENR’S FIRST STEP IN PRIMING THIS INITIATIVE, WE ARE NOW FORMULATING THE NATIONAL DIRECTIVE  IN THE FORM OF AN EXECUTIVE ORDER  WHICH WE WILL ENDORSE FOR THE PRESIDENT’S APPROVAL.

THIS WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR THE COLLABORATIVE // AND WHOLE-OF-SOCIETY EFFORTS  IN CONSERVING OUR WATERSHEDS.

THUS,  WE ARE HOLDING CLOSE OUR SUCCESSES AND EXPERIENCES  IN IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS WATERSHED REHABILITATION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS,  SUCH AS THE FORESTLAND MANAGEMENT PROJECT,  THE NATIONAL GREENING PROGRAM,  THE INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROJECT,  BUILD BACK BETTER, AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES.

WE HOPE TO HAVE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS THAT WILL BE SET IN PLACE AND WILL BE ENFORCED AND OPERATIONALIZED// BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF TRANSPARENT, PARTICIPATORY,AND COLLABORATIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PARTNERS,  THE JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY, ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, OUR PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS,  AND MUNICIPAL MAYORS,  WHO HAVE FACILITATED THE ORGANIZATION OF THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT COUNCILS. YOU ARE ALREADY SO MUCH A PART OF THIS CAMPAIGN.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNERS  FOR IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS FOR WATERSHED REHABILITATION, WHICH INCLUDE PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATIONS,  NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, // AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR  THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING US IN OUR PROGRAMS  AND WHOSE ACTIVITIES CONTRIBUTE MUCH TO WATERSHED REHABILITATION.

SOON, WE HOPE TO SEE YOUR RESPECTIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT COUNCILS CONVENED  AND BECOME DYNAMIC BODIES, AT THE FOREFRONT OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE.  MAY YOUR RESPECTIVE AREAS BECOME THE MODELS OF NATIONAL WATERSHED INITIATIVES.

SAVING WATERSHEDS IS SAVING LIVES. SAVE OUR WATERSHEDS!  SAPAGKAT IKAW,  AKO,  TAYO ANG KALIKASAN!

MARAMING SALAMAT PO, AT MABUHAY!