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Roberto Sarandi of Brgy. Tamdagan in Vintar, Ilocos Norte prepares a fish pen for tilapia which he plans to breed by the thousands in the river now that the typhoon season is over. (Alaric A. Yanos)
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By Michael Mugas
PGIN-CMO
Challenged by the call of Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos during
her State of the Province Address (SOPA) on August 20 to better manage our
water resources, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte together with Ilocos
Norte Water District conducted the first Provincial Water Summit on November
27, 2014 at the Laoag City Auditorium.
Various groups composed of policy
makers, farmers, students, academe, private and public organizations gathered
to discuss steps on reaching effective provincial water management and to
conduct workshop on how to avoid the looming water crisis in the province.
“Ilocos Norte, as we all know, is
abundant with water resources but we need to reach the goal on how to properly
manage them so that our province can effectively adapt to the challenges of
climate change,” said Engr. John Teodoro, INWD general manager.
Gracing the summit as special guest is National
Irrigation Administration (NIA) administrator Florencio Padernal. Mr. Padernal
has just been appointed in July 2014 as NIA chief and has been tasked to take
over and irrigate more than 1.3 million hectares of land in the country.
Speakers from various institutions like
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Mariano Marcos
State University (MMSU) and Philippine Rice Research Institute were also invited
to discuss watershed development and management, rainwater harvesting,
alternate wet and dry method (AWD) and solid waste management.
“One of the most important topics to be discussed during the summit will
be solid waste management since we are all contributors of solid waste in the
environment. Most of us do not have the discipline to properly dispose our
solid waste thus harming our water resources like rivers,” noted Mr. Teodoro.
He added that without proper solid waste
management, reaching effective water management system in the province will be
harder.
Aside from instilling public awareness,
the summit aims to come up with a workable, comprehensive provincial water
management plan.
“Governor Imee wants us to have an
output after the summit, a viable solution to prevent water crisis,” Mr.
Teodoro remarked.
Knowing that Ilocos Norte has rich
agricultural lands, the local farmers will be gravely affected in case action
for water management system in the province will not be mapped out for
implementation.
“If we can manage our water resources,
we will surely be the best little province in the country!” stressed Ms. Marcos in her SOPA.
Aside from the talks and workshop, a
debate, jingle and doodle contests on the same day of the summit was held at
Ilocos Norte National High School.
The activities were organized through
the initiative of Sirib Youth Office (SYO) to encourage youth’s participation
in the conservation and protection of watersheds and water resources.
“The youth’s participation is vital
since we will be directly affected in the future in case water shortage will
not be prevented as early as now,” said Willie Sib-at, SYO water summit
coordinator.
The activities were kick-started by a conduct
of a two-day mobile film showing on climate change. The mobile film showing were
at Sta. Rosa National High School and Davila National High School on November
20, and Dingras National High School and Solsona National High School on
November 21. Another set of mobile film showing on climate change will be
scheduled on December this year.
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