Saturday, February 7, 2009
[ sunstar.com.ph ]
By Jane Cadalig
PRESERVATION efforts for the country's watersheds are seeing a brighter future with the coming in of the foreign development firm willing to look for funds for watershed protection.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has proposed US$80 million for the preservation of major watersheds all over the country.
Tahir Qadri, ADB consultant, said the firm will be in charge of sourcing out the amount, which will be given to the Philippine government in the form of a loan.
The proposal has yet to get the approval of the ADB board, according to Qadri.
Already, the ADB released a grant of US$850,000 from the Japan Special Fund for the preparation of an integrated environment and natural resources management program.
The government's counterpart for the grant amounts to $300,000 but is provided in kind.
The Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management for Sustainable River Management Program is the ADB's response to the government's request for the formulation of a strategy and investment program, which will address the causes of watershed ecosystem degradation.
In Luzon, the Chico, Agno, and Marikina watersheds are included in the seven sites nationwide where the preservation design and strategies will be implemented.
Qadri said these strategies will be implemented in the next 10 to 15 years.
He added the integrated resources management design must be completed and presented by the end of June and the formulation of the strategies must be completed by October.
Recently, a consultation, involving four regions was held in the city that aimed to identify the concerns bugging the preservation of the watersheds and what strategies are most practical to be applied.
_______________________________________________________________________
