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Water is
mankind’s most important resource next to oxygen. It is
absolutely an essential commodity, key to sustainable
development, economic growth, social stability, and
poverty alleviation.
However,
in many regions of the world, freshwater is becoming
scarce and its quality is deteriorating due to exponential
growth of population, degradation and pollution, wasteful
and conflicting use and inefficient distribution.
The
Philippines, despite being blessed with numerous and
diverse freshwater resources identified nationwide, is not
spared with these problems. Several areas in the country
have experienced water scarcity, especially Metro Manila
and
Central Luzon. This has been aggravated by pollution of water
resources.
The report
of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) shows
that out of the country’s 421 rivers, 50 have become
biologically dead due to pollution. Water-resources
experts warned that the problems would become worse unless
the country’s water resources, especially the major
watersheds, are rehabilitated, properly managed and
conserved.
The
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural
Resources Research and Development (Pcarrd), together with
hydrologists or water experts in the country, has
initiated a three-year Science and Technology (S&T)-based
intervention program for watersheds to remedy these
problems. This intervention requires P42 million from all
stakeholders.
Pcarrd,
DOST’s lead agency in environmental research and
development (R&D), has been steadfast in conserving and
managing the country’s water resources and optimizing
their uses for economic and domestic purposes.
The S&T
activities to be carried out in all regions in the country
intend to improve land-use practices in the uplands for
the improvement of watershed management, ecological
assessment and valuation of environmental services,
sustainable watershed protection, and increase economic
competitiveness of upland communities.
The S&T
interventions will also involve the collection of
secondary and primary information on biophysical
characteristics, socioeconomic drivers and threats, and
institutional capacities of project partners.
These S&T
interventions will entail environmental management of
surface and ground water resources through the
establishment of an efficient local database and
monitoring system.
Various
sizes of watersheds are located in the uplands (hilly to
mountainous areas) where about 7.5 to 14 million Filipinos
live. These uplands must be properly managed and conserved
to enhance watershed resources. This is because watersheds
and the vital resources, such as land, forest, water,
food, medicine, aesthetics and wholesome environment,
etc., contribute immensely to the social, ecological and
economic development of the country.
In
agriculture, for example, watersheds primarily store water
for irrigation. Rainfall absorbed in forested watersheds
is slowly released to the streams and lakes throughout the
year to the benefit of lowland dwellers. Watersheds also
help maintain ecological balance, minimize the occurrence
of floods and droughts, purify and cool air, control soil
erosion, and serve as habitat of important plant and
animal species, among other benefits.
Unfortunately, many of the country’s watersheds, which
constitute 70 percent of the country’s total land area of
30 million hectares comprising of 421 major river basins,
are currently in a varying state of degradation.
A number
of studies showed that population density is among the
drivers of deforestation and land degradation in the
watershed areas. With the expansion of population, people
have migrated both upstream and up the sloping banks of
rivers, putting increasing pressure on mountain forest
areas through degradable activities, such a kaingin or
slash-and-burn farming, and other forms of excessive
forest exploitation.
The
diminishing forest cover has impaired watershed hydrology
resulting in frequent floods and water shortage,
especially during the dry season. Infiltration of
rainwater through the soil onto the ground water storage
becomes more limited in the deforested watershed resulting
in a higher surface runoff and frequent flood. This also
decreases ground water recharge and, eventually, dries up
rivers and springs.
The
increasing loss of forest cover in the watershed areas
begins a vicious cycle of degradation throughout the
entire watershed. This cycle affects not only the local
populations in the watershed areas, but also those living
in lowland areas downstream.
It takes
sustainable watershed-landscape management of upland,
lowland and coastal ecosystem to sustain availability of
freshwater for various uses. The S&T watershed
interventions need to reconcile the economic and social
conditions with the ecological and biophysical aspects of
the watershed components.
The S&T
integrated watershed management of freshwater from the
ridge to the coastal area ensures a balance between
competing uses of water. It doesn’t only ensure
environmental health and productivity of lakes and rivers
but also averts flood damages and landslides.
(Bengie P.
Gibe/S&T Media Service) | 
