The city council has authorized Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Alset Power Company and Rivent Enterprises for the rehabilitation of the Balili-Sagudin River.
The legislative body approved the resolution authorizing Magalong to sign the MOA during their session recently.
The city government, the DENR, and Alset Power Company and Rivent Enterprises agreed to rehabilitate the Balili-Sagudin River, one of the most polluted bodies of water in the city that flows to La Trinidad and Sablan, Benguet.
The concerned parties acknowledged that the Balili-Sagudin River, including the tributaries and catchment rivers, requires attention to revive its condition through the help of the non-government sectors and the volume of silt, waste, and other debris, which have become a threat to the health and safety of the riverside community, requires an action.
The parties agreed to develop a comprehensive program to reduce the degradation of the Balili-Sagudin River and to coordinate with each other and participate in regular planning and implementation meetings with the view of reviewing and evaluating the same and exploring its possible extension and replication of the relevant activities.
The DENR is tasked to spearhead meetings in collaboration with the water quality management task force; validate the number of informal settler-families; identify of easement and recovery of easement near the Balili-Sagudin River; monitor and evaluate the cleaning and rehabilitation program; and conduct information and education campaigns.
The city government is mandated to ensure regular collection of segregated waste in the barangays in the vicinity of the Balili-Sagudin River; ensure that punong barangays effectively implement solid waste and septic tank water management at their areas of responsibility; ensure the active participation of the homeowners’ associations and other community-based organizations within the barangays towards the achievement of program objectives; ensure, through provision of support, that the planned action commitment prepared by the communities will be implemented; and undertake other activities as would be in the best interest of the program.
Alset Power Company and Rivent Enterprises will formulate the plan and implement activities to improve water quality, spearhead cleanup of the tributary rivers, assist in the information and education campaign and community mobilization activities, initiate the conduct of training for community leaders, coordinate with concerned government agencies and the city government on the advocacies, attend meetings for the assessment of the project, and perform other related activities. – PIO release
April 25, 2024
