Guv forms body to oversee rainwater harvesting confab
A Steering Committee was created by Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor to oversee and implement plans and programs for the “International Conference on Rainwater Harvesting in the River Basin for Water Security” on November 23 to 26 at Punta Villa Resort, Iloilo City.
“To ensure that this event will give an enormous positive impact to participants and stakeholders, there is a need to create a Steering Committee to facilitate the activities,” said Defensor, chairman of the Iloilo Watershed Management Council, in his Executive Order No. 107 dated Oct. 26, 2010.
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias has been named the steering and working committees’ chairperson, with Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Soledad Sucaldito and Kahublagan sang Panimalay Foundation Inc. Managing Director Jessica Salas as co-chairs.
Members of the committees include Gilbert Marin of the Provincial Tourism Office, Ildefonso Toledo of the Provincial Agriculture Office, Nelida Tayong of the Provincial Planning and Development Office and Nereo Lujan of the Provincial Community Affairs Office.
Other members include representatives of the Metro Iloilo Water District, National Irrigation Administration 6, municipality of Alimodian, Department of Public Works and Highways 6, Department of Agrarian Reform 6, and Philippine Information Agency.
The forthcoming international gathering is in consonance with the current thrust of the provincial government towards the rehabilitation and protection of the degraded watersheds of the province.
Defensor pointed out that water insufficiency is one of the major problem experienced by the stakeholders from the upstream and downstream communities in the province, thus, the provincial government continuously advocates the protection and rehabilitation of the degraded watershed areas.
He also cited the initiatives implemented by the provincial government in line with the major thrusts in the restoration of the water shortage capacity of the province watersheds such as the massive tree planting.
“Considering the amount of water needed to sustain the development for the progress of Iloilo Province, rainwater harvesting as a technology is one of the alternative water sources,” Defensor added.*PIA
