The Davao City Government, through the Watershed Management Council and various stakeholders, opened the Watershed Stakeholders Summit 2025 by highlighting the various private and government initiatives to protect Davao’s Watershed – the main source of the city’s water supply.
The event, themed “Together for Growth: Working Together Toward a Secure, Clean, and Sustainable Water Supply for the Generations”, opened on November 27, 2025 at Grand Menseng Hotel on Magallanes St.
Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, in a message read by Atty. Joseph Dominic S. Felizarta, extended warm welcome to the Summit participants, and also underscored their huge role in protecting watersheds, which are the lifeline of Dabawenyos.
“As frontliners and advocates of environmental stewardship, we are entrusted with the duty to safeguard these vital resources, bolster our ongoing watershed management initiatives, and pursue long-term, evidence-based solutions that ensure its resiliency and sustainability for years to come,” he said.
He said that the annual Watershed Summit is a crucial platform to deliberate, collaborate, and align efforts to achieve balanced ecological approach and responsible development.
The acting mayor commended the efforts of the Davao City Watershed Council, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Barangay Watershed Management Councils, Bantay Bukid and Tubig Volunteers, IP communities and all community partners and key stakeholders and as they continue to protect, preserve, and sustain the city’s natural resources.
WMC Secretariat Atty, Karmela Tongo told Madayaw that this year’s summit ensured that stakeholders, NGOs, universities and businesses showcase their own conservation activities.
“Ang goal namo this year, the reason why we invited them this year is para ma streamline gyud tanang effort sa watershed, dili madoble doble and makita namo ang areas na wala pa siguro natutukan (Our goal this year for inviting them is to streamline all efforts for watershed, make sure that there is no duplication, and to see which needs more attention),” she said.
The stakeholders also shared common appreciation and understanding of the need to protect the city’s water resources. They also expressed determination to let the future generations enjoy the drinkable water that the city is lucky to have at present.
Tongo challenged all Dabawenyos to participate in this goal.
During the short program, barangays in watershed areas, members of the academe and other stakeholders received the conservation and protection posters that showcase a simplified guide on key environmental laws and prohibited acts, as well as penalties for such.
The poster also contains a QR Code, which Dabawenyos can scan to access soft copies of environmental laws, as well as the City’s zoning ordinance. They may also access its contents by following this link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1C7fj3hUtf91P8GusRwF0VUk70QOGxZoI. CIO
