On November 25, 2022, barangay and municipal representatives from Los Banos, Bay, Calauan, Alaminos, San Pablo City, Calamba City, and Sto. Tomas,  Batangas participated in the conduct of the stakeholder consultation and workshop at the Los Banos Multipurpose Evacuation Center. The activity aims to orient the various barangays through its representatives about the WILUP project; engage the participants in analyzing the influences of the various barangays and understand the implications and degrees of influence of various stakeholders in determining how land and other water resources are utilized; identify problems in relation to watershed and rank them according to its degree of severity; create problem and solution trees based on the identified major problem for each component identify the different kinds of stakeholders and analyze their importance and influence in the watersheds within the boundary of Los Banos, and formulate vision and mission for each LGU.

The Hon. Roberto F. Ranola, Jr., Los Banos Municipal Admin, gave a welcoming speech on behalf of Mayor Genuino for the event. At the same time, Dr. Vida Carandang, WILUP Project Leader, presented the Rationale of the activity. Dr. Rex Victor Cruz presented a brief lecture about Watershed and Situational Analysis of the Watersheds within Los Banos emphasizing the importance of the R2R framework in formulating development plans such as the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Dr. Lorena Sabino, WILUP project staff, facilitated the stakeholders’ workshop with the assistance of the WILUP University Research Associates. The participants were grouped into three groups depending on their location on the watershed map as this will integrate the experiences and perspectives in environmental, social/institutional, economic, institutional, and disaster risk reduction management/infrastructures aspects.

The concerted efforts of the representatives to discuss their situation and understand the major problems of each watershed led to a successful activity. The WILUP team will process the data and organize a municipal-level plenary meeting to validate the results and further discuss the R2R/WEM application.