FSUU to spearhead the 2013 Save Taguibo Watershed Green Summit

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 27 (PIA) - The Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) headed by University President Fr. John Christian U. Young, will be spearheading this year's 2nd Save Taguibo Watershed Green Summit on October 16, at the AVR-1 of FSUU main campus, this city.

Fr. Young said the Save Taguibo Watershed Green Summit in 2011 was a milestones event on environmentalism in Butuan City.

"The experience taught the people that positive things and actions happen when different stakeholders come together and commit time to resolve a common and central environmental concern, that is, the protection of the Taguibo Watershed," said Young.

Young added that the summit gave birth to the Taguibo Watershed Pilot Project (TWPP) which made it possible for the government, civil society organizations, and community to unite their efforts toward the central goal of protecting Butuan City's vital source of water – the Taguibo Watershed.

It was also learned that the objectives for this year's second summit includes the following: 1) update the different stakeholders on the accomplishments of the TWPP; 2) provide and assessment report on the implementation of the TWPP; 3) determine the resources needed and how to raise them in order to fully accomplish the TWPP; and 4) affirm and strengthen the commitment and support of the stakeholders in accomplishing the TWPP.

Participants of said summit are the following: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Butuan City Water District (BCWD), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), non-government and civil society organizations, and other TWWP members including the local government of Butuan officials, and punong barangays within the watershed area. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)