UP experts: Dagupan river system alive, bustling with activities

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=8&rid=948213
• Wednesday, December 14, 2016

(PNA), LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/FMA

DAGUPAN CITY, Dec. 14 (PNA) -- A team from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UPMSI) found Dagupan's river system alive and bustling with activities when it conducted Reconnaissance Survey of the River System last December 7 and 8.

This was bared to newsmen on Wednesday by Mayor Belen Fernandez who said the activity conducted by the team of UPMSI professor Dr. Caroline Jaraula will help boost efforts to rehabilitate the river system and make it more sustainable in support of the livelihood of small fishermen.

Dr. Jaraula told the mayor after making rounds of the river system: “You have a healthy river, which is healthy for the economy, healthy for livelihood and healthy for the whole system. Dagupan revolves around these rivers. They are beautiful. They have a lot of mangroves with a lot of promising results and activities."

Dagupan is crisscrossed by seven river tributaries, namely: the Calmay river, Pantal river, Dawel river, Tanap river, Mangueragday river, Patogcawen river and Bayaoas river.

Dr. Jaraula commended the city for its ongoing dredging operations of the Calmay river and suggested that dredging be started at the river's mouth in Barangay Pugaro due to the high concentration of silt from upstream in that area.

The team said the city is on the right track in keeping its river clean from ilegal structures and debris and lauded the program of the local,government called "Sa Ilog ko, may Pagbabago" (In my river, there is change).

At the same time, she lauded the political will of Mayor Fernandez in clearing the rivers of unwanted structures, referring to the city’s aggressive campaign against illegal fish pens and in taking efforts to retrieve submerged fishnets and bamboo stumps in the bottom of the river.

Initially, the team recommended that each river system be developed according to their potentials in tourism, fishing, waterways, navigation, bird watching, among others.

On the operation of fish pens, Jaraula stressed that this is the call of the city, whether it will allow its operation provided that a place should be identified as a suitable area for this type of structure with maximum size and number, in order to maintain the river’s sustainability.

"It’s overwhelming to note the healthy conditions of the rivers because there are so many things that could be developed and to be studied in them. We just need to enhance all these,” said Jaraula.

The team will make a further study on the data gathered and will submit its results to the city as soon as these are ready.

Mayor Fernandez met Dr. Jaraula during the 3rd International River Summit in Cagayan De Oro City in late November, attended by 800 participants from local, national and international authorities, policy experts, river managers, public and private sectors, academe, indigenous communities, church base organizations, marginalized sectors and other river advocates.

Discussed during the summit were River Laws and Policies, Sustainable Funding Mechanisms, River Best Practices, Community Empowerment, and Integrated Coastal Management.

“This is the challenge for us Dagupeños to step forward, to level up and continue with our advocacy to rehabilitate our river system and support the livelihood of our fisherfolks. And we will not stop until we have achieved our goal,” said Mayor Fernandez.