THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) conducted a three-day specialized Capacity Building on Well Drilling for Water Supply Construction in Zamboanga del Sur.
The training was held from Tuesday, August 26, to Thursday, August 28, at the DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula office in Balintawak village, Pagadian City, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur province.
Twenty technical personnel participated in the training, including 14 technical staff from selected water districts in the region, three representatives from the Water Resources Utilization Section (WRUS) of DENR, and three representatives from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-Zamboanga Peninsula.
According to DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula, the training aimed to strengthen the technical competence of the selected personnel by providing foundational knowledge and practical experience on safe and effective well drilling methods.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula also said the participants engaged in practical drilling exercises under expert supervision, gaining firsthand experience with tools, equipment, and field operations.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in addressing water access challenges.
“By strengthening local capacity, water districts and relevant agencies will be better equipped to support the development and management of groundwater sources in their respective areas,” said DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula in a statement.
The training was facilitated by Socrates Gaerlan, Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Cordillera Administrative Region (MGB-CAR) director, a seasoned hydrogeologist and groundwater expert.
Gaerlan led all technical sessions and shared best practices and lessons learned from his years of experience in well drilling and water resource development. (SunStar Zamboanga)