The 20th Davao City Council on Tuesday approved on the third and final reading the ordinance that provides stricter protection to the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed.
The “Panigan-Tamugan Sub-Watershed Ordinance” seeks to improve and safeguard the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed, the largest source of the city’s water supply.
Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability Executive Director Atty. Mark T. Penalver, in a media interview, welcomed the development as the ordinance adds another layer of protection for the watershed and makes it a protected area.
“Dugay na gyud nato ni nga ginapangandoy nga ma-declare as such kay that’s a very important resource sa Davao city considering nga mao na gyud ni siya ang gina-tap as drinking water sa siyudad and it’s very important to make another, parang cloak to cover it with more regulations to really ensure the integrity sa atoang watershed (We have been clamoring for such declaration (watershed) because it is a very important resource where the drinking water of the city comes from and it is very important to have another cloak to cover it with more regulations to ensure the integrity of our watershed),” he said.
Based on the ordinance, the Panigan-Tamugan watershed will have an added layer of regulations aside from what is already provided under the Watershed Code.
The prohibited acts under the ordinance are land conversion to whatever classifications, including but not limited to hotels,
resorts, tourism, and recreational activities; water drilling except those for the water system development conducted by the Davao City Water District and other water operators as authorized/permitted by the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) and other governing agencies; and the open burning and open dumping of solid waste materials as prohibited based on RA 9003 of 2000.
Also among the prohibited acts are aerial spraying of prohibited pesticides; use of motorized cutting equipment, except for safety, disaster response, and disaster prevention; exploitation of quarry resources and commercial sand and gravel resources that may affect the quality and quantity of the water; and the use of privy toilets or toilets without septic tanks to prevent the
fecal coliform count.
Under the ordinance, no new settlement, whether residential or business, shall be allowed within the boundary of the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed Area, except within the Rural Settlement Areas.
Section 8 of the ordinance provides for the regulation of existing households within the area such as prohibiting expansion. Only repairs and maintenance would be allowed.
Violators of the provisions of the ordinance shall be fined Php 5,000 and or imprisonment not exceeding one (1) year or both, at the discretion of the court.
All activities within the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed shall be recorded and monitored by the Watershed Management Council, the Watershed Multipartite
Monitoring Team (WMMT) and Barangay Watershed Management Council (BWMC)
pursuant to ORD. NO. 0310-07 or the Watershed Code, together with other concerned national and local agencies. CIO
