Watershed Management Practices in the Philippines: The Tigum-Aganan Watershed Case

Abstract

Management is both a science and an art whatever is the object/subject being managed. While a watershed management policy may be placed on paper and thick documents, its translated actions may differ from watershed to watershed. The policy may lose its essence, may be reinforced, or threatened and changed to a better policy. Watershed management in the Philippines is described in this paper from the perspective of a non-government organization participating with local governments and national government agencies in pursuing watershed protection, conservation, and development. Agreements were signed to make this collaboration happen. The paper describes the challenges met in carrying the objectives or purposes of the agreements in the venue of a local watershed called the Tigum-Aganan Watershed. Structure, practices, financing, administration, decision making and responsibilities are described including the Board’s legal basis for existence. The administration of national agencies over watersheds in the country and over a specific watershed – the Tigum-Aganan Watershed, is also described. Issues and concerns experienced by other watershed management units led by local governments, (considered local initiatives) are reported and discussed in a national association called the Philippine Watershed Management Coalition, another non-government organization. Transfer of knowledge, deepening of understanding of issues and exchange of strategies in solving problems are shared during meetings. In general, this paper describes a formal structure of watershed management and an informal process of policy formulation for watershed management brought about by participation from local government, private sectors, community-based organizations and non-government organizations.