Marikina watershed declared protected area

MANILA, Philippines—The Marikina watershed, the river basin that mitigates flooding in Metro Manila, has been proclaimed a protected area by the Environment Department.

By declaring the 26,125-hectare area under government protection, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said commercial and economic activities within the watershed will be banned to protect the tree species and wildlife thriving there.

“With its proclamation as a protected area, the Marikina watershed will now be placed under a regime of management where all native species of plants and animals, including its unique features, are protected for perpetuity, but also its forest cover shall be rehabilitated to enhance its capacity to absorb water,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said.

Local government officials recommended the declaration of the watershed as protected area last September on the occasion of the second anniversary of 2009 catastrophe caused by Tropical Storm “Ondoy,” which drowned the metropolis.

According to the mayors of Marikina, Quezon City, Antipolo, Pasig, Cainta, San Mateo and Rodriguez, rehabilitating the watershed is important as it is their first line of defense against rainwater surging from the uplands of Luzon.

Stakeholders and local governments that have jurisdiction over parts of the watershed have also committed to develop a buffer zone and social fence against urban sprawl.

They also pledged to provide alternative livelihood to settlers and indigenous people in the area to wean them away from kaingin and charcoal–making, two activities largely blamed for the watershed’s deforestation.

The DENR said the declaration of the watershed’s protected status also coincides with a massive reforestation in the area to increase the basin’s absorptive capacity. Officials said almost 80 percent of the watershed had been denuded and that it would take at least 10 years to replant the area.

The Marikina watershed is bounded by Antipolo and the municipalities of Baras, Rodriquez, San Mateo and Tanay, all in the province of Rizal.

The forested river basin, which catches the waters from the mountain ranges of Central Luzon on its way to Manila Bay and Laguna Lake, is home to various endangered flora and fauna.

Included on the list of endangered wildlife species found in the Marikina watershed are hardwood trees like narra, red and white lauan, bagtikan, kamagong, and molave; while the wild fauna include birds like the Philippine bulbul, black-naped oriole and jungle fowl; mammals like the Philippine deer, wild pig and the Philippine monkey; and reptiles like the monitor lizard.

Paje said he has endorsed the recommendation to President Aquino, saying the proclamation is imperative to maintain the life-support system in its natural condition, and to conserve the rich cultural features and the threatened and endangered Philippine flora and fauna thriving in the area.

The Marikina watershed is also seen as a potential source of water supply for Metro Manila, and plays a vital role in regulating flooding in the low-lying areas of Rizal and the capital.

“The President’s proclamation also promotes the government’s green agenda, particularly on the aspect of expanding the country’s terrestrial protected areas to advance the country’s biodiversity conservation efforts,” Paje said.