GUIHULNGAN CITY, Negros Oriental — Nestled in the heart of Negros Oriental, the 8,000-hectare Bateria Watershed is a vital natural resource that sustains the lives and livelihoods of over 48,000 residents across 15 barangays in Guihulngan City. Rich in biodiversity and flowing with life-giving water, this watershed supplies clean drinking water, supports irrigation for farms, and nurtures the socio-economic growth of local communities.

The watershed’s importance extends beyond the land—it drains toward the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, a marine biodiversity hotspot declared under Republic Act No. 11038. This ecological connection underscores the crucial role of the Bateria Watershed in both upland and coastal ecosystem protection.

To ensure its sustainable development, the National Convergence Initiative for Sustainable Rural Development (NCI-SRD) was launched in the area through the collaborative efforts of the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Agrarian Reform (DAR), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Interior and Local Government (DILG). Guided by Joint Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2020, the initiative aligns government efforts to address poverty, protect the environment, and empower communities.

Part of this convergence strategy is the Department of Agrarian Reform, which has distributed 3,378 hectares of land to 4,602 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). These beneficiaries, organized into cooperatives, have received critical support through the Belgian-funded Integrated Agrarian Reform Support Program (BIARSP). This includes the construction of farm-to-market roads, communal irrigation systems, and the provision of livelihood infrastructure such as Botika ng Bayan outlets and Day Care Centers.

Farmers and fisherfolk in the area grow crops, raise livestock, and engage in traditional crafts such as bayong and silhig lanot making. Their products reach markets in Cebu, Bacolod, and Dumaguete, contributing to the local economy. Through the CADP (Convergence Area Development Plan), the NCI-SRD also aims to:

• Raise awareness on environmental protection by conducting monthly community orientations.
• Increase average farm incomes by 15%, from ₱27,000 to ₱31,050, over five years.
• Encourage youth participation in agriculture through targeted training and enterprise opportunities.

Thanks to the efforts of the NCI-SRD, the Bateria Watershed is evolving into a beacon of ecological resilience and inclusive rural growth. Here, land reform does more than redistribute land—it revitalizes communities, protects ecosystems, and flows prosperity from ridge to reef. ###