Acknowledging
the efforts in the formulation of the Chico River Watershed
Development Plan, Kalinga Governor Floydelia Diasen assured
support of the provincial government “by working hand
in hand “with the planners and implementers in realizing
the plan.
In
her keynote speech during the presentation of the master
plan, the governor said that “it is indeed a great
idea to come up with the Chico River Watershed Development
Master Plan” as the “blueprint of all development
programs on the Chico River watershed area”. It will
be our road map to sustainable development, she added.
The
state of the Chico River at present is very alarming and
that if this problem will not be arrested in the near future,
we will be victims of floods, landslides, destruction of
our rice fields, poor agricultural productivity caused by
inadequate irrigation water and water pollution, she stressed.
She
expressed the need for all concerned to converge and put
their acts together to create a critical mass which is the
key ingredient to sustainable development. She noted that
agencies doing their thing independently can not sustain
their respective activities and their endeavors have insignificant
impact compared to joint efforts.
During
the event, members of the working team from the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Office
and from the Provincial Technical Working Group presented
the plan to the major stakeholders composed of the Provincial
Development Council (PDC), agency heads, and concerned private
sector and non-government organizations.
Geronimo
Donaal, Provincial Development Officer and co-chairman of
the technical working group said that the activity aims
to present and discuss the draft master plan to the major
stakeholders for them to understand and validate.
The
plan is we expected to be endorsed by the LGUs to the Regional
Development Council (RDC) for favorable action and funding.
(ggd/PIA-Kalinga)
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