Do we all agree that water is important? Water is the source of all life.

We use it for
domestic purposes, for irrigation, and for industries. We also use it to generate
electricity. We even use it for recreation such as springs, waterfalls and pools. But
because of climate change, the water levels have been rapidly decreasing and with
the increasing population in our country, the demand is slowly exceeding the supply
hence the need to conserve and protect our water resources to meet these
demands. Presidential Decree 1067, otherwise known as The Water Code of the
Philippines, governs the ownership, appropriation, utilization, exploitation,
development, conservation and protection of water resources.

1. Can any person appropriate or use natural bodies of water?

Under Article 13 of P.D. 1067, except as otherwise provided in the code, no
person, including government instrumentalities or government-owned and
controlled corporations, shall appropriate water without a water right, which
shall be evidenced by a document known as a water permit.

A water right is a privilege granted by the government to appropriate and use

water.

Under Article 16 of P.D. 1067, any person who desires to obtain a water permit
shall file an application with the National Water Resources Council who shall
make known said application to the public for any protests.

And under Article 18 of P.D. 1067, all water permits granted shall be subject to
conditions of beneficial use, adequate standards of design and construction,
and such other terms and conditions as may be imposed by the National
Water Resources Council.

Have you ever wondered where the water you use to wash your plates, clean your
clothes or even the water you use to bathe yourself, is coming from? It is supplied by
the Butuan City Water District from a watershed forest reserve.

2. What watersheds found in the Agusan Provinces are protected under the
Water Code?
Under Article 67 of P.D. 1067, any watershed or any area of land adjacent to
any surface water or overlying any ground water may be declared by the
Department of Natural Resources as protected area. Rules and regulations
may be promulgated by such Department to prohibit or control such activities
by the owners or occupants thereof within the protected area which may
damage or cause the deterioration of the surface water or ground water or
interfere with the investigation, use, control, protection, management or
administration of such waters.
 The Taguibo River which covers 4,367.44 hectares including Barangay Anticala
in Butuan City, Barangay San Antonio in R.T.R and Barangay Mahaba in
Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte and a portion of Sibagat, Agusan del Sur,
is the main source of water supply in the city of Butuan and was proclaimed as
a Watershed Forest Reserve under Proclamation No. 1076 by President Fidel V.
Ramos on September 4, 1997. The reason for its proclamation is for the
purpose of protection, maintenance and improvement of its water yield. Not
only is Taguibo Watershed the major source of potable water to the people of
the city but also a source of livelihood to its occupants.

For decades, the city has always had a high risk of befalling under water due to its
being geographically situated below sea level. This has been a problem that has
burdened many of the residents and business communities.

3. Pursuant to the Water Code, are there facilities built to aid the city residents
in times of flashfloods?
Under Article 55 of P.D. 1067, the government may construct necessary flood
control structures in declared flood control areas, and for this purpose its shall
have a legal easement as wide as may be needed along and adjacent to the
river bank and outside of the bed pr channel of the river.

The Department of Public Works and Highways CARAGA Region, through the
Regional Management Office (RPMO), has completed the construction of the
Lower Agusan Development Project (LADP) Flood Control Component (FCC)
Stage I, Phase I and II, Urban Drainage System Control of Relief Pumping
Station at Collector Drain (CD) 1 and 2. It is designed to discharge a combined
70 cubic meter per minute of flood water impounded along the commercial
districts of the city and released into the Agusan River in the event that the
water level rises due to continuous rain and other weather disturbances.

As Leonardo da Vinci said, “Water is the driving force of all nature”, without it how
will nature continue to function if the fuel that moves it dries out? As stewards of
God’s creation, it is incumbent on our part to manage with extraordinary diligence
our water resources in order for us to maintain it and be worthy of benefitting from
it.

References:
1. Presidential Decree 1067
2. Butuan City Water District Official Website (bcwd.gov.ph)
3. Philippine Information Agency Official Website (pia.gov.ph)
4. “Pumping Stations to Reduce Flooding in Butuan” by Mike Crismundo on
Manila Bulletin News Online