APFED Booklet on Good Practices and Innovative Activities 2005 ...

Philippines
2006
Award
Institutionalising Local Mechanisms for Integrated
Sustainable Water Management and Water Governance
Project Site Location Baguio City
2009
Background - Problems Addressed and Policy Responses
Access to safe drinking water has been increasingly
threatened due to growing water demand, over-extraction
of groundwater, pollution of water basins and the impact
of global warming. The authority over water resource
management conventionally rested with various line
ministries, and such compartmentalised public administration
was a major obstacle to promoting integrated water resource
management.
Multi-stakeholder dialogue on water
resource management in Baguio
Project Outline - Objectives and Activities
The project aimed at strengthening the water-resource governance mechanisms of Baguio City to enhance
the convergence of water-related policies and to promote better policy coordination for improved water
resource management at the local level. Under the project, it was intended to reform the vertically
compartmentalised water resource management to a horizontally unified mechanism, develop a mediumterm
water development and investment plan, revise water charges and cost recovery scale and to create
multi-stakeholder policy dialogue bodies.
2008
2007
2006
Impacts and Achievements
To address local water management an executive order was adopted to unite the disparate public offices
with authorities over water resources in the city’s water department, resulting in the creation of the City
Water Resources Board (CWRB). A city ordinance was adopted in 2007 that requires the city to issue a permit
for well-drillers and water extractors and the city to compel well-drillers and water extractors to submit
environmental monitoring reports. Further, a water investment plan was adopted for 2005-2010, valued at
1.3 million USD. Stakeholder dialogues were institutionalised and integrated watershed management and
reforestation activities were launched.
Future Challenges
Forests are dwindling and need bolstering to enhance their capacity to store water; Friction between
forest conservation issues and the squatters living there needs resolving; A collective consensus on policy
options between potable water distributors, well drillers and pipe water suppliers who all have differing
interests needs to be reached, in order to conserve water resource use; Sewage treatment fees and
collection methods require regular monitoring, and the problem of unlicensed car washers releasing waste
water into rivers needs resolving.
General Information
Name of the Implementing Organisation: ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Southeast Asia
Type of Organisation: NGO/CBO + Governmental Organisation
Contact: Victorino Aquitania
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Southeast Asia, Manila Observatory, Loyola Heights,
Ateneo de Manila, Quezon City, Philippines 1101
Tel: 63-2-426-0851 Fax: 63-2-426-0851 E-mail: vic.aquitania@iclei.org
Website: http://www.iclei.org/sea
Project Reviewer (NetRes / Collaborators) that monitors the project:
Masanori Kobayashi, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
E-mail: m-kobayashi@iges.or.jp
Area
Climate Change 3R Biodiversity & Ecosystem Water Capacity Development etc. Others
Award
Gold Silver Bronze Incentive
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