ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) -- The Tumaga River Water Quality Management Area (WQMA) Governing Board and Multi-Sectoral Group has conducted various activities for river protection for the safety of Zamboangueños.

Activities include the distribution of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials campaign, continuous river clean up, and tree-planting activity.

Seeing the potential of the youth, the advocacy reaches the students of Pasonanca National High School. IEC materials in the form of pamphlets and tumblers were distributed to the participating students who were glad to receive such very useful materials.

The river and estero (creek) clean-up activities were also conducted in celebration of Philippine Environment Month with the theme: Advancing circular economy to #beatplasticpollution. It was a Regionwide Simultaneous River clean-up activity facilitated by personnel of the provincial Environmental Management Unit (PEMU) Zamboanga Sibugay, the City Environmental Management Unit (CEMU) Zamboanga City, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-9 in cooperation with Sanitary Engineering Students of the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) and Estero (creek) Donor Partners.

Further, a tree-planting activity spearheaded by the City Government was also conducted at Sitio Murok, Barangay Pasonanca, Zamboanga City. Over 2,000 seeds of several tree species were planted at the Muruk site by more than 500 individuals from various governments who joined the activity. This is a part of the program for the massive reforestation and enrichment of the local government unit of Zamboanga.

To strengthen the campaign against the indiscriminate dumping of garbage and wastewater in the river, tarpaulin informing the general public about the existence of the Tumaga River WQMA Governing Board which manages the WQMA will be posted in Pasonanca particularly somewhere near bathing places, the Tumaga Bridge and in Guiwan Highway particularly in San Bernardino Bridge.

Meanwhile, according to the Tumaga River Water Quality Pollution Trend covering the year 2022, there were nine (9) out of thirteen (13) sampling stations in Tumaga River that demonstrated an increase in Fecal Coliform concentrations. With the given updates, the governing members have seen the need for wastewater treatment installation in the Tumaga River WQMA area.

The Department of Public Works and Highways, which is undertaking the construction of flood control structures along the TRWOMA, is to integrate in their plans the provision of a network of wastewater treatment facilities along the whole stretch of the Tumaga River.

The governing board of Tumagawa River continuously invites tyhe public to practice discipline and join hands in conserving the city's rivers, to keep them healthy and safe for the well-being of all Zamboangueño. (RVC/CCP/PIA9 with photo from Images of Zamboanga FB page)