LABRADOR, Pangasinan (PIA) – The provincial government of Pangasinan, in collaboration with various national and provincial government agencies, is gearing up to create a management council dedicated to preserving and protecting a watershed in the province.
 
In an approved resolution of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Monday, Governor Ramon Guico III could sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with various national, regional, and provincial agencies, as well as stakeholders from Regions 1 and III, to spearhead the establishment of the Gama-Nayom River Watershed Management Council. 
 
This initiative, championed by Board Member Vici Ventanilla, who authored the resolution, aims to foster effective collaboration among stakeholders in watershed management. 
 
Ventanilla stressed in the resolution, "Effective and purposive collaboration and coordination of development initiatives among all stakeholders in a watershed, including LGUs, national government agencies, NGOs, peoples’ organizations, and the private sector, will hasten and facilitate the realization of the goals envisioned under DENR Administrative Order No. 23 Series of 2005."
 
Through the resolution, Ventanilla emphasized the unwavering commitment of the provincial government of Pangasinan to actively participate and support the collaborative endeavor for the sustainable management of the environment and natural resources.
 
The primary aim of establishing the council is to strengthen efforts aimed at safeguarding, rehabilitating, developing, managing, and sustainably using natural resources within the Gama-Nayom River Watershed, a vital river system spanning the provinces of Zambales and Pangasinan.
 
The Gama-Nayom River Watershed Management Council will function as a pivotal oversight and advisory body, guiding watershed planning and overseeing the implementation of programs and projects within the area.
 
The composition of the management council is diverse, encompassing key stakeholders such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, National Irrigation Administration, and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, along with regional offices, provincial government units, municipalities, water districts, and various community and private sector representatives.
 
In Republic Act No. 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991, the resolution reaffirms the mandate for local government units to establish, maintain, preserve, and conserve communal forests and watersheds. (JCR/MJTAB/AMB/EMSA/PIA Pangasinan)