Wednesday, November 29, 2006 Watershed ordinance okayed on 1st reading
THE proposed Watershed Protection, Conservation, and Management Ordinance was passed on its first reading Tuesday at the Davao City Council's regular session.
The ordinance is a joint proposal of the committees on housing, rural and urban development; rules, privileges, laws and ordinances; and environment and natural resources with Councilor Arnolfo Cabling as chair.
Cabling said the watershed ordinance is about comprehensive policies and mechanisms to protect the watershed, which is the city's source of the supply of potable water.
As the Water Code protects the aquifers or lowland sources of water, the ordinance protects the upland source, which are the watersheds. Both laws complement each other in the protection of the city's water resources.
Cabling said the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau have already mapped out and identified the "environmentally critical areas," which are in the vicinity of the watersheds that may cause the pollution or destruction of the watersheds if disturbed.
Cabling added that the findings of the CPDO and mines bureau have already been adapted and incorporated into the proposal to serve as scientific basis for requesting the attendance of CPDO Coordinator Mario Luis Jacinto in the next session so that the matter may be explained fully to the council.
Cabling said there is an immediate need to approve the ordinance since water is a foremost need to sustain life not only for the present but also for generations to come. (GLP)
