-For a country which literally is submerged in floodwater during the typhoon season, the Philippines is facing a major crisis which could impact on the lives of the next generation of Filipinos – the lack of water.
Sadder than this impending disaster is the fact that nobody seems to be concerned about it and there is no wholistic plan of action to prevent it from happening.
With God’s grace, when I assume the Governorship of North Cotabato, our province will stand as a model.in Water Consrvation and Management.
I actually started this as a young Mayor of Mlang 30 years ago by building small water impounding dams which are still being used by farmers until today.
Hindi ako nagmamagaling, pero bakit natin pino-problema ang tubig samatalang nalulunod ang mga kabahayan kung panahon ng tag-ulan at bagyo, mahigit 1,000 and mga ilog at lawa at napapalibutan tayo ng karagatan na may lawak na 300-M na ektarya?.
Our most serious problem today is the politically-influenced programs that we craft to address Water Shortage, Climate Change and Food Security.
Almost all of the national programs are segmented using the political terms of incumbent officials as the timetable in implementing and completing programs.
Puro pa-sipsip ang mga programa para magiging malakas sa Presidente, Governor at Mayor at walang long-term and visionary plans.
On the issue of the Water and Food Security, ito ang mga matitinding problema na dapat pagtuonan ng pansin:
- Anim na porsyento na lamang (6%) ng kagubatan ng bansa ang naiiwan since the 1900s at meron itong matinding implikasyon sa kapasidad ng ating bansa na magparami ng pagkain para sa mga mamamayan. Without trees in the forests and mountains, our rivers and creeks will run dry and agriculture will be adversely affected;
- While we virtually drown in floodwaters during the typhoon season, we suffer from water shortage after only two or three months of drought. This is simply because we have not even considered the adoption of a national water management and conservation program.
Our failure to address these problems would lead us to a serious water crisis and famine.
Hindi pa naman huli ang lahat at meron pa tayong magagawa para maiwasan itong naka-ambang trahedya ng bansa.
- North Cotabato will implement a re-greening program of the denuded highlands and mountains using a strategy which would encourage people, especially the youth, to participate;
- North Cotabato, including the towns within its political jurisdiction, will introduce ordinances which will impose stiff penalties on those who encroach into the protected forest areas, watersheds and sources of headwaters;
- A provincial water management and conservation master plan will be established to enjoin every Cotabateño and every local government unit to participate in the establishment of water catchments, levees, dams and water impounding areas to hold water and elevate the water table in the surrounding areas;
- We will advocate a shift in Agricultural Irrigation Paradigm from the traditional mega-dams to mini-dams, Sabo Dams, Solar and Wind Powered irrigation Systems;
- The “Tubig sa Barangay” program would ensure that every village in the country would have access to safe drinking water and water for food production, again using Solar and Wind Power to draw water from open sources or underground.
We have the resources, an endless supply of fresh water from our creeks, rivers, lakes and aquifers.
Talagang napakatamad at napakabobo nating mga Pilipino kung hindi natin kayang lutasin ang problema ng ito.
North Cotabato Will show the way.
