Talisay City holds 1st River Summit

By Easter Anne D. Doza

Friday 3rd of August 2012

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Aug 3 (PIA6) -- Inspired by the recent International River Summit in Iloilo City, Talisay City in coordination with the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC), held its own 1st Talisay City River Summit.

With the theme, “Kasubaan Aton Amligan para sa Buasdamlag sang Aton Kabataan”, the summit was held at the Don Esteban De la Rama Hall, New Talisay City Hall.

The summit is part of the celebration of the National Disaster Consciousness Month, which drew more than 200 participants from the local government led by Mayor Eric M. Saratan, M.D., other city and barangay officials, representatives of national government agencies, school heads, civic and religious groups who came to answer the call of the City Government to act now to address the deteriorating state of the rivers.

Saratan gave a detailed account of the status of the city’s rivers as he delivered his State of the Rivers Report where he presented empirical data gathered from the different village heads during his ocular visits to the rivers around the City.

Human activities and poor river management are factors which resulted into the degradation of most of the city’s rivers as revealed in the data gathered by Saratan.

Engr. Noel Hechanova, City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) of Iloilo City, and Marcelino Mendoza from the Villar Foundation, representing former Cong. Cynthia Villar, discussed topics on River Rehabilitation and Revitalization with inspiring excerpts of their experiences of successful river management in Iloilo City and Las Piňas City, respectively.

The Provincial Government, likewise, gave its serious support to the activity by sending Mr. Isagani Republica, of the Provincial Disaster Management Division, who discussed the topic on Disaster Consciousness and Preparedness.

Lawyer Ma. Conchita Doronila-Antipatia of the Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) also discussed the Laws and Ordinances on Rivers and Waterways.

A workshop was held which generated practical courses of action as urgent responses to the challenges of rehabilitating the rivers in the city.

Common problems identified during the summit include: continuous conversion of the riverbanks into residential areas which leads to the narrowing of waterways, illegal dumping of garbage and the existence of makeshift toilets from illegal settlers which cause severe siltation, illegal quarrying which causes erosion of the riverbanks, and the attitude of indifference and lack of adequate knowledge and information among the residents regarding proper garbage management.

Aside from the River Summit, a series of activities including river clean-up, coastal clean-up, tree-planting activity, mangrove planting activity and clean-up drive was also held as part of the observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month.*(JSC/EAD-PIA6 Negros Occidental)