DAVAO DEL NORTE (PIA) -- Vegetative, structural, and engineering interventions can work in addressing the massive overflowing of rivers in the  Tagum Libuganon River Basin (TLRB), leading to recurring flooding in most parts of lowland Davao del Norte.

Guesting in Kapihan sa DavNor of the Philippine Information Agency, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Chamberlain Babiera of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI pushed this idea, which is aligned with the Tagum Libuganon River Basin (TLRB) Masterplan updating project.

The vegetative approach is highly recommended in the ecosystems-based  Management and Ecosystem Services Two River Basins in the Philippines, known as the E2RB project under German Development Cooperation with the DENR. 

The structural approach involves the construction of irrigation systems and river dams as part of the mechanism to control the flow of voluminous water.

On top of this, he noted that it is also important to execute the engineering approach to control flooding, citing the periodic dredging of rivers can check heavy siltation to allow the river to carry the usual volume of water that it can accommodate.

“If the level of the riverbed is almost the same as the surroundings, asa na lang paingon ang tubig  (where would the water go)?,” he asked, pointing out siltation as one of the major causes of flooding in low-lying areas.

Desilting is not only good to do in riverbeds but also at the “mouth of rivers,” topographically called an estuary, which is an area where freshwater rivers or streams meet the sea.

Addressing the periodic flooding in Davao del Norte, especially in the early months of the year, is among the identified concerns in the TLRB Masterplan, which carries the objective “to strengthen the ecosystem services, protect the biodiversity, and reduce the vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters” through a multi-sectoral partnership of DENR and the local communities with concerned agencies in the government and private sectors.

Among its goals are“to ensure the sustainable preservation and enhancement of the TLRB ecosystem; build resilient and adaptive communities within the TLRB; establish a collaborative, inclusive governance framework for TLRB; and support a competitive and sustainable economy within the TLRB.”

Jarencio revealed five basic strategies set in the Masterplan, namely maximizing mandated agency resources, the agency collaboration framework, climate change adaptation, habitat-specific management interventions, and payment for ecosystem services.

As of press time, the TLRB updated Masterplan is due for official acceptance and signing of the DENR as the German-assisted project is due to end in May 2024, after five years since 2019.

Jarencio said there will be a River Basin Summit in March 2024 in Tagum City, during which the TLRB updated Masterplan and its essential contents will be presented to multi-stakeholders.  (JMDA/PIA Davao del Norte/Thumbnail photo from Tagum-Libuganon River Basin Facebook Page)