DAVAO City Councilor Temujin “Tek” Ocampo urged Dabawenyos to avoid protected areas during the holiday season, citing public safety concerns and the need to protect the city’s critical water sources.
Ocampo, chair of the City Council’s Committee on Environment, said residents should refrain from visiting rivers, waterfalls, and other bodies of water classified as protected areas, noting that holiday gatherings often draw crowds to natural sites.
"Sa atoang pagsaulog sa Pasko ug bag-ong tuig mamalihog lang unta me diri sa konseho, muhangyo kami kaninyu nga unta ug naa tay mga basura atong ilabay sa saktong labayanan, tabang ta sa atoang paghinlo sa atoang siyudad (As we celebrate Christmas and the New Year, we appeal to everyone to dispose of trash properly in designated areas and help keep our city clean)," Ocampo said in a media interview Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Ocampo called on residents to work together in maintaining cleanliness by observing coordination and upholding the city’s “Dabawenyo DCplinado” values.
He said those planning to visit protected areas should reconsider to prevent accidents and ensure that rivers and streams remain clean and safe as water sources.
Past incidents in protected watersheds
Environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) has repeatedly flagged activities that threatened the Panigan–Tamugan Watershed, a key future water source for Davao City.
On Nov. 24, 2023, IDIS raised concern over a travel vlogger’s Facebook post that allegedly promoted recreational activities in a river within a protected conservation area, an apparent violation of local watershed rules.
On Jan. 3, 2024, IDIS again warned of an influx of visitors at the Panigan–Tamugan River in Barangay Carmen. Bantay Bukid monitors reported that many visitors ignored restrictions and left behind trash, including plastic waste, liquor bottles, and cigarette butts.
By Jan. 11, 2024, IDIS condemned garbage dumping along the Panigan River, a tributary of the Tamugan River near the Apo Agua intake facility, which supplies water for the city’s bulk water project.
More recently, on Oct. 28, 2025, concerns surfaced over water discoloration in parts of the Panigan–Tamugan Watershed, allegedly caused by wastewater discharge from a nearby piggery. IDIS warned that contamination could threaten public health and the city’s long-term water supply.
Laws protecting critical watersheds
The Panigan–Tamugan Sub-Watershed Ordinance of 2025 seeks to protect the city’s surface water sources, including the primary supply for Apo Agua, which provides bulk water to the Davao City Water District.
The ordinance bans large-scale activities that could degrade water quality within the watershed. Indigenous Peoples also help protect the area, guided by the concept of Pusaka, which emphasizes stewardship of the natural environment.
City Ordinance No. 0675-21, or the Watershed Conservation Area Protection Ordinance, classifies watershed zones as environmentally critical areas and requires prior approval for activities such as trekking.
City Ordinance No. 0361-10, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance, prohibits littering, illegal dumping, and improper waste disposal—violations that directly threaten biodiversity and the preservation of rivers and other natural environments. RGP