The Mindanao Development Authority, key government agencies responsible for the management of Mindanao river basins are strongly pushing for a Mindanao-wide River Basin Development Roadmap that will guide towards a coordinated and sustainable river basin rehabilitation and management in Mindanao.
“Our water resources have been at risk and therefore a collaborative effort among all stakeholders is needed to protect and conserve our headwaters,” said Luwalhati Antonino.
Mindanao has eight major river basins - the Agus river basin, Cagayan de Oro river basin, Tagoloan river basin, Agusan river basin, Mindanao river basin (Cotabato), Tagum-Libuganon river basin, Davao river basin and Buayan-Malungan river basin.
According to the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework, the region is endowed with rich ecosystems and dominated by fertile river basins and watersheds but these have been threatened by heavy reliance on extractive industries such as logging, fisheries and mining.
Mindanao 2020 said that watershed degradation in Mindanao has been largely due to heavy siltation, water pollution, unsustainable farming practices, and destruction of fish breeding grounds.
If not addressed, it will give rise to food security threats and hamper economic development. Mindanao’s total forest cover has also been rapidly denuded from 70% in 1900s to 23% in 1988 and down to six percent as of last year.
The island’s agri-based economy is also vulnerable to risks in rainfall change, El Niño and projected temperature increase brought abut by changes in climate.
"Sustainable development of Mindanao's river basin is very important to achieve security for its people. Climate change is already here, all we can do is to adapt to the changes"
Via Reuter
Thank God the government has realized that. I hope that they will make actions and solutions to these already foreseen problems. Last year, the country has been affected by drought and water insufficiency. I hope it wouldn't happen again now that they already see this possibilities.
ReplyDelete@cagayan de oro... Yes the government should be moving forward to address the issue on climate change
ReplyDelete