BWD, 13 Lions Clubs ink MOA to protect Baguio watersheds

By Mark Victor Pasagoy

BAGUIO CITY -- The Baguio Water District renewed its partnership with Lions Clubs International (LCI) – District 301-C Cordillera Region Lions Club to help preserve this city’s remaining watersheds August 16. The Lions Clubs inked a memorandum of agreement with Baguio’s lone water utility through its “Adopt-a-Watershed Program” at the BWD office led by the BWD general manager engineer Salvador M. Royeca, LCI District 301-C Cordillera Region chairperson Mark Jefferson C. Ng, and various club presidents.

A total of 13 clubs signified their continued support to this environmental endeavor: Baguio City Host Lions Club, Baguio Everlasting Lions Club, Baguio Magnolia Lions Club, Baguio Sunflower Lions Club, Baguio Chrysanthemum Lions Club, Cordillera Adivay Lions Club, Baguio Kindasan Lions Club, Benguet Optometrist Lions Club, Baguio Pines City Lions Club, Metro Baguio Lions Club, Baguio Burnham Lions Club, Baguio SLU Medicine Campus Lions Club, and Baguio Family and Friends Lions Club.

“As advocates of environmental preservation, we thank the Lions Clubs for their continued support to our cause. This partnership will help us sustain our goals to preserve or better yet improve the condition of Baguio City’s remaining forest covers.” GM Royeca said adding the protection of the City’s watersheds require a collective effort from all of its stakeholders.

According to Royeca, the renewal of the MOAs will ensure that the District will be able to sustain its task in protecting the watersheds under its jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the Lions Clubs took chance of the occasion to commend the District’s efforts and committed to continue as a perpetual partner of the said program.

“We are thankful that we are able to continue this partnership with BWD, the Lions Clubs will persistently help in whatever way it can to support BWD and to help protect the City’s watersheds.” Ng said.

Through the signed MOA, which is effective for three (3) years, the Lions Clubs renewed their undertaking as “muyong” holders in the various watersheds supervised by BWD which include Busol, Buyog, Camp 8 and Sto. Tomas.

The BWD “Adopt-a-Watershed Program” aims to preserve the watersheds in Baguio City through partnerships with government and non-government organizations, civic organizations, and schools through tree planting, nurturing, and other related activities like assistance in the prevention of forest fires, illegal logging, squatting and “kaingin”.

As of date, a total of forty (40) different groups have established to execute the same agreement with BWD.