Gov‘t agencies fence Busol Watershed against squatters

By Angelo Acosta

BAGUIO CITY — The fencing of Busol Watershed here to prevent it from being encroached by squatters is now 70 percent done.

A total of 1.9 kilometers was done by the Cordillera Department of Environment and Natural Resources composed of 1,088 of frames.

The fencing, a joint effort of the City of Baguio, Baguio Regreening Movement, Baguio Water District, the LGU of Baguio, and many others who contributed for the fencing is intended to immediately and effectively prevent destructive activities within the watershed.

The construction of the 1.9 km share of the DENR started January is expected to be completed by July 15.

The construction

firm in-charge, the Tribu Construction, currently utilizes eight teams stretching their work force to enclose the specific portion of the watershed area of the reservation.

The Busol watershed is one of the micro watersheds draining to the Balili River and a headwater to the Naguilian River watershed that drains to the province of La Union. It is located in Benguet straddling over Baguio City and La Trinidad. It is considered to be the biggest source of drinking water to 13 barangays of Baguio City and 12 barangays of La Trinidad and some sitios of Tuding, Itogon as well.

It has an area of 336 hectares. Administratively, it covers about 112 hectares in the City of Baguio and 224 hectares in the Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet.

The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office-Baguio headed by OIC CENR Officer Rainier Balbuena, in coordination with PENR and the DENR-CAR Regional Office are on top of the monitoring and supervision activity to ensure that the implementation of the fencing activities is done in accordance with the plan.

According to forester Marilyn Malecdan from the Conservation and Development Division of the DENR-CAR, the fencing aims to protect Busol watershed from timber poaching, illegal settlers and unauthorized entry.

“The role of the DENR is to patrol and defend the restoration of balance in Busol Forest Reserve”, Malecdan added.

This fencing activity is included in the Watershed Protection of Busol Forest Reservation project that gives priority to the improvement of the forest cover; the water quality, quantity of ground and surface water resources; the restoration of the ecological balance; and its biodiversity.

To spread awareness and impart reformation to the settlers living in the area, an ongoing installation of signs indicating the jurisdiction throughout the boundaries of the reservation has begun on February 26, 2015.

“We ve been putting up signs in the borders of Busol, there will be 15 signs, so people will know the entire coverage of the watershed,——” Malecdan said.