City government to compensate volunteer forest guards
Mayor Sara Duterte vowed to provide financial compensation for the forest guard volunteers who have been in the frontlines of protecting Davao city’s watersheds. “Thank you to the Watershed Management Council for their policy work but thank you very much to those people working on the ground, our bantay bukids (forest guards) and bantayo aweg (water watcher),” said Mayor Sara in a statement sent to City Administrator Atty. Zuleika Lopez during the 5th Watershed Summit held on June 29 at the Ritz Hotel. Mayor Sara arrived soon after to personally thank the volunteers who help the City Government in the “important work of protecting the watersheds.”
Water unites Davao City’s opposing sectors
It’s rare to see environmental groups working with private, for-profit sectors especially on the issue of sustainable management of natural resources. But for water, especially in a city which houses eight watersheds and prides itself to have one of the world’s highest quality potable water, all sectors have a stake and therefore invited to the annual Davao City watershed summit. Now on its fifth year, the watershed summit aims to provide a venue for stakeholders from ridge to reef to talk things over and come up with solutions to prevailing issues on water, something of common value that unites citizens from the uplands to the urban centers.
LUNHAW AWARDS expands to youth and government sectors
Davao City’s annual awards for environmental initiatives brings the spotlight to the youth and the government sector this year, recognizing their critical role in the long-term success of environmental efforts in the city. Lunhaw Awards, now on its 6th year, has added youth category for its Green Champion Award and encouraged barangay-led and city government-led efforts for the LGU-initiatives Award. The past five years recognized individuals and organizations from the academe, private sector and CSOs.
Lunhaw tours to boost Davao’s eco-agri tourism
Going beyond recognition, environmental awardees convened as a network to help promote Davao as one of the country’s greenest cities. The Lunhaw Awards network of green practitioners is set to offer Lunhaw tours which will showcase the city’s environmental-friendly practices from forest-based initiatives, organic agriculture, coastal and marine management to water and energy conservation, pollution control, and green building architecture and spaces. “We want to show tourists that here in Davao, we not only have the country’s best natural and cultural attractions but we also have a growing environmentally-conscious citizenry to ensure that the city’s development does not come at the cost of the next generation,” said Chinkie Peliño-Golle, Acting Director of IDIS, Lunhaw Awards co-organizer and secretariat.
No Climbing of Mt. Apo from Davao City
The Watershed Management Council (WMC) of Davao City asserts that the Brgy. Tamayong trail to Mt. Apo will remain closed and warns the public for consequences of unrestricted access. “The WMC wants to address the problem of illegal hikers and climbers in Mt. Talomo-Tamayong trail so it issued a resolution supporting PAMB’s decision on the continued closure of Tamayong entry point in Mt. Talomo,” said Chinkie Peliño Golle, Acting Director of Interface Development Intervention Inc. (IDIS), who requested to convene the council for an emergency meeting last April 7.
IDIS gets seal of approval for advocacy work
Davao city’s lead NGO advocate for the sustainable management of watersheds received two awards in time for its 18th founding anniversary this March 29. The City Government of Davao recognized the Interface Development Interventions Inc. (IDIS) for its invaluable contribution to the city in the field of environment and beautification during the Pasidungog: Garbo sa Davao Program, in celebration of the 80th Araw ng Davao. Ateneo de Davao University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council also gave IDIS its Bergoglio Awards for Excellence in Environmental Stewardship in recognition of the organization’s innovative approaches and creative solutions for environmental challenges. Ateneo de Davao University also cited IDIS’ “critical roles in enacting environmental ordinances like the Zoning Ordinance and the Watershed Code of Davao.”