Castilla, Sorsogon— More than 35 barangay officials from the 13 barangays included in the Convergence Area Development Plan (CADP), and representatives of Castilla Municipal Agriculture Office and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO)-Sorsogon participated in the Training on Watershed Management for the Pili River Watershed held on  6-7 October 2021.

The training was geared towards teaching the participants basic concepts and principles of the watershed management, ridge-to-reef approach and its legal basis. The activity also aims to guide the field implementers in the drafting of a holistic watershed characterization and vulnerability assessment of the Pili Watershed.

The training also presented the salient features of DMC 2008-05 and the  Watershed Instrumentation to increase the awareness of the local communities on the importance and proper management of Pili Watershed.

According to Department of Agriculture Bicol Regional Technical Director for Research

and Regulations and Regional Convergence Initiative Bicol for Sustainable Rural Development Focal Person Dr. Edgar R. Madrid, this training will provide new technologies and innovations in watershed management in comparison to the traditional farmers’ practice and culture.

DENR Bicol Assistant Chief of the Conservation and Development Division Benjamin J. Meden hopes that the participants will apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in protecting and improving the quality of water and natural resources within the Pili Watershed by employing the ridge to reef approach.

The two-day training was facilitated by the Regional Community Based Forest

Management and the Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Section (PAMBCS) of DENR Bicol.

Castilla Administrative Officer Atty. Marilyn D. Valino urged the trainees to participate actively and apply their learnings in managing their Pili Watershed.

“Ginibo na kan DA, DENR, DAR asin DILG an saindang mga parte para sa satuyang watershed. An satuyang partisipasyon asin pag-adaptar kan mga nanudan iyo man an satuyang suporta asin balos sainda (The DA, DENR, DAR and DILG already has done their parts for our watershed. Our participation and adoption of our learnings will be our support and repayment to them).” ###