Why the need for the Clean Water Act?

 As early as 1996, monitoring of the country’s rivers showed

that only 51% of the classified rivers still met the standards for
their most beneficial use. The rest were already polluted from
domestic, industrial and agricultural sources.

 Most studies point to the fact that domestic wastewater is the

principal cause of organic pollution (at 48%) of our water
bodies. Yet, only 3% of investments in water supply and
sanitation were going to sanitation and sewage treatment.

 Thirty-one percent (31%) of all illnesses in the country are

attributed to polluted waters. Clearly, to ensure access to
clean water for all Filipinos, it was imperative that government
put together a comprehensive strategy to protect water
quality.
EXISTING WATER RESOURCES
 Inland Freshwater
 Rivers
 18 major river basins (at least 1,400 sq km drainage
area)
 421 principal rivers (less than 1,400 sq km drainage
area)
 296 principal rivers classified as of 2013 (70%)

 Lakes
 79 natural lakes
 10 lakes are major host for aquaculture
production
 Groundwater
 Extensive reservoir with an aggregate area of about 50,000 sq
km
 Recharged by rain and seepage from rivers and lakes
 Favorable groundwater basins are underlaid by about 100,000
sq km of various rock formations

 Marine Waters
 Cover an area of about 266,000 sq km, including bays and gulfs
 Coastline stretches to about 17,460 km
 Coral reefs cover an area of about 27,000 sq km
 64 of 79 provinces are in coastal areas
 Major Rivers in Region XI
 Tagum-Libuganon River
 Davao River
 Buayan-Malungon River
What is Adopt-an –Estero/
Water body Program?
Reduce water
pollution to improve
water quality in
priority rivers and
other economically
and ecologically
important
waterbodies.
Reduce wastes generated
and improve waste
disposal.

Establish a healthier and

livable urban environment.
 itis a collaborative undertaking
between and among the Estero
Community, Donor-Partner, Local
Government Unit/s and the
DENR.
Adopt-an-Estero/Waterbody donor/partner

 An Adopt-an- Estero /waterbody donor/partner may be a

business establishment, an industry association, a non-
government organization or any other group that
volunteers to be a major actor in cleaning the
esteros/waterbodies
Adopt-an-Estero/Waterbody donor/partner

 The donor may accept full undertaking in the clean up of

a estero or may just provide equipment and manpower to
do actual clean-up in partnership with the DENR and
other donors.
Goal
 To achieve a cleaner, safer and
healthier metropolitan
environment.
Objectives of the Program

 Clean up the estero of wastes, debris and silt;

 Mobilize the estero communities in cleaning the estero

and enlist their active participation in actual clean up, and
in and implementing and preparing plans to sustain a
clean estero in the future years;
Objectives of the Program
 Institutionalize good sanitation and solid wastes
management practices among the estero communities
through education and actual participation in the
Program;

 Reduce incidence of water-related diseases and those

associated with poor sanitation
Objectives of the Program
 Ensure unimpeded water flow, particularly during rainy
season and thereby prevent/reduce incidence of flooding
and risks to lives and properties.

 Reduce pollution loading to the rivers

 Institutionalize public-private-community partnership in

environmental and sanitation improvement undertakings
(among the national and local government offices,
business, NGO’s and communities)
Adopting a Estero
 Donor-partner will pick up a estero to “adopt”
as its area of responsibility.

 On its own, the donor-partner may decide to identify an estero, provided

that estero has not been taken by or assigned to another donor partner.

 A donor-partner may collaborate with other

one or more donors (if estero traverses long/large areas).

 Ex: a donor may “adopt” the upstream; another, the midstream, and a
third one, the downstream part of the estero. Of course the donor may
decide to “adopt” the whole stretch of the estero.
Memorandum of Agreement

 The donor-partner will enter into an agreement with the

DENR (draft MOA).

 The MOA will spell out the roles, responsibilities and

tasks of the donor-partner and the DENR;
Implementation Activities

 Clean-up
 Desilting/dredging
 Rip-rapping/cocomatting, etc.
 Tree Planting
 Nurturing the planted trees
 IEC on Solid Waste Management
 Waste Composting/Vermi-
Composting
 Provisions of Garbage Bins
 Water Quality Monitoring
Implementation Activities can be
undertaken on this special events:

 World Water day - March

 Earth Day - April
 Environment Month – June
 National Clean-Up
Month/International Coastal
Clean-up – September
 Climate Change Week - November