WILUP and the importance of ecosystem management were featured in the recent Polisyensya, the annual policy forum presented by the DOST PCAARRD held on July 7, 2022. This was streamed on social media pages of DOST PCAARRD and participating organizations.

Polisyensya discusses highlights of watershed policy project and watershed policy advocacy project funded by PCAARRD. The R2R (Ridge to Reef) Approach also known as Watershed Ecosystem Management (WEM) Approach to Management was featured in Polisyensya, a policy forum organized by the DOST-PCAARRD to present and discuss the importance of and policy issues on the R2R/WEM Approach to land use and development planning.

The discussions during the forum aimed to address four questions: What is R2R/WEM framework, and why is it essential in land resources management? What are the gaps and concerns in the implementation of the WEM or ridge to reef framework? What are the current initiatives implemented to address the said gaps? And what is WILUP, and what are its objectives related to the implementation of R2R/WEM approach to land use planning?

The five speakers who participated in the panel discussion were: Undersecretary for Regional Development Group of National Economic and Development Authority, 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐜. 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐚 𝐀. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚; Executive Director of the River Basin Control Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐕. 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞; Division Chief of Environment and Land Use Division, Land Use and Urban Planning Development Bureau of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DSHUD), environmental planner 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠; Environmental and Natural Resources Officer of the Provincial Government of Aurora, 𝐌𝐬. 𝐌𝐚. 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐚 𝐏. 𝐃𝐞 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐚; and watershed expert from the WILUP Advocacy Team and Adjunct Professor of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, 𝐃𝐫. 𝐑𝐞𝐱 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳.

𝐑𝟐𝐑/𝐖𝐄𝐌 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞

Director Gorospe explained that R2R/WEM Framework entails integrated management and development of water, land, forest, and coastal resources within the watershed. It encompasses the upland-lowland-coastal ecosystems continuum including biodiversity resources and wetlands. He added that rather than political boundary, the R2R/WEM framework uses the watershed as the planning unit in order to maintain the integrity of the watershed amidst the interacting influences of the ecosystems and human systems/activities from the ridge all the way down to the coastal and marine areas.

Dr. Cruz discussed that R2R/WEM Framework ensures that there is a balance between economic development as well as protection of the environment and ecology. He mentioned that the initial investment of the government in using R2R/WEM approach to land use and development planning should be sustained in the light of increasing evidence that the weak integration of the pursuits in the development of natural system and human system leads to serious consequences such as outbreaks of infectious diseases and increasing disaster risks.

With regard to the integration of the R2R/WEM framework to the national and regional physical planning, Usec Sombilla explained that the framework is very much considered in development planning processes both of the national and the regional levels. NEDA along with many agencies recognizes the importance of adopting an integrated and holistic framework cutting across all sectors, geographic boundaries, demographic classification, and even time horizon. According to Usec Sombilla, Chapter 20 of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022 highlights the importance of ecosystems. To ensure ecological integrity, clean and healthy environment development of strategies are aligned with the R2R/WEM framework. Among these priority strategies is the adoption of integrated and science-based restoration approaches to rehabilitate critical watersheds. She added that the PDP also includes specific strategies that support WEM such as accelerating and improving forest protection and reforestation, scaling up comprehensive water resource assessment, improving and scaling up sustainable use and management of inland, wetlands, caves, and caves systems, and conducting research on terrestrial ecological connectivity.

Mr. Sumilang likewise shared that R2R and Integrated Ecosystem Management have already been incorporated into the new sectoral studies HLURB guidebook in 2014. He provided updates on the current issuances of DSHUD including the Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA) guidebook was launched in 2015, and the National Urban Development and Housing Framework in 2017. The HUDCC and HLURB were merged, and the law establishing this integration, known as DHSUD or RA 11201, was enacted in 2019. Since then, DHSUD has already issued guidelines to guarantee the integration of higher-level plans with the local planning. DHSUD issued the revised review and approval processes for CLUP and PDPFP in 2021. Additionally, the National Housing and Urban Development Sector Plan, which covers until 2040, was published by DHSUD. It discusses the bio-regional development initiative, as well as the R2R Planning Approach. Some of its key concepts include (1) delineation of boundaries, (2) consolidation of regulatory jurisdictions of different national and local agencies, (3) provision of technical support and guidelines for creation and development of authorities or formal LGU alliances, (4) enforcement of R2R planning and integrated watershed planning approach, (5) mainstreaming of water sensitive urban design in CLUP guidelines and detailed guidelines for low impact, low emission development in LGUs.

On the other hand, there are still gaps, issues and concerns with integrating the R2R which according to Director Gorospe are population, question of political will, political boundary conflicts, Conflicting mandates among government agencies, Fragmented and uncoordinated land development and management plans among the agencies that resulted from conflicting mandates, Realtime and reliable data, financial requirements and sustaining the interest and enthusiasm of stakeholders to participate actively.

Ms. De Luna discussed the planning activities that the province of Aurora completed and is planning to develop in the coming year. She mentioned that a number of its municipalities already completed their CDRA. They already completed the Dibalo-Pingit-Zabali watershed management plan that will be used for the updating of the CLUPs of the towns of Baler and San Luis, Aurora. In the coming years the development of watershed management plans in the other watersheds of the province will continue along with the updating/prepparation of CLUPs of other municipalities of Aurora. She also discussed that like most of other provinces, Aurora is also constrained by inadequate budget, lack of manpower and technical expertise. She pointed out that they needed to work with National Agencies, Academe and other stakeholders to address the gaps in asssets that they need to carry out and implement their watershed-based related plans.

𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐔𝐏

In the latter part of the event, Dr. Cruz as the expert on the WILUP Advocacy Project discussed WILUP as a project which aims to enhance the robust implementation of the Ridge to Reef (R2R) or watershed ecosystem management (WEM) approach to integrated area land use planning (WILUP). He explained that WILUP is designed to address the gaps on policy, capacity building, datasets, and accountability of LGUs to implement a comprehensive land-use plan as a framework for the development of CDPs (comprehensive development plans) and most of the prescribed sectoral plans. He recognized that the collaboration and active participation of National Government Agencies (NGAs) including NEDA, DENR, DILG, DA, NCIP, CCC, HLURB and other NGAs as well as of other stakeholders and experts are vital to the pursuits of WILUP to promote more robust implementation of the R2R/WEM-based comprehensive land-use planning. He also mentioned WILUP’s pilot implementation of the R2R/WEM-based land use planning in Los Baños, Laguna, and San Gabriel, La Union that will provide a platform where other LGUs can observe and share in learning process.

In support to the effective implementation of R2R/WEM-based CLUP, Usec Sombilla and Dr Cruz underscored the importance of the passage of the National Land Use Act that will provide the overarching framework for the horizontal and vertical integration of the local, regional and national development planning. Dr. Cruz added that the passage of the new forest management code will provide more suitable enabling environment for carrying out the integration of forest development planning with the local, provincial and regional planning within the R2R/WEM Framework.

Watch the forum on Watershed-based Land Use Planning and Management in the Philippines, you can click the link and watch the PoliSyensya 2nd Panel Talk here:

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