Banga MENRO Conducts Seminar-Workshop On Water Resource Management, Water Quality And Purification In Preparation For El Nino

BANGA, AKLAN – In preparation for possible water supply shortages due to the approaching El Niño phenomenon, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Banga conducted a meaningful seminar-workshop entitled “Caring for Our Common Home: From Ecological Awareness to Water Resource Conservation and Quality Management for Empowered, Sustainable, and Climate-Resilient Barangays.”

The activity was attended by the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officers (MENROs), Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials, and barangay officials from various communities across the municipality of Banga. The event aimed to enhance the knowledge and awareness of local leaders on the responsible management, conservation, and protection of water resources to help communities prepare for the potential impacts of El Niño.

Three resource speakers shared their knowledge and experiences on various aspects of caring for our common home: Raymond J. Sucgang, Supervising Science Research Specialist and Laboratory Manager of the Nuclear Analytical Techniques Application Section (NATAS) of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI-DOST); Rev. Fr. Jayvee Delos Santos; and Adorada Reynaldo.

In his presentation, Sucgang emphasized the importance of Isotope Hydrology and Water Resources Management in understanding groundwater systems, identifying sources of water, tracing water movement, and developing more effective strategies for water conservation and sustainable utilization, particularly during El Niño.

He also discussed Water Quality Management and the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water, which provide essential guidelines to ensure that water consumed by communities is clean and safe for human health. He underscored that access to clean and safe drinking water is not merely a convenience but a fundamental necessity and a basic human right.

For Sucgang, science should not remain confined to laboratories, research papers, and scientific conferences. Scientific knowledge must reach the barangays, empower local leaders, guide sound decision-making, and contribute to protecting the lives, health, and livelihoods of the people.

Through this initiative, the LGU of Banga demonstrates that preparing for El Niño is not solely the responsibility of the government. Rather, it is a collective undertaking that requires cooperation, shared responsibility, and active participation from every barangay and member of the community.

Because water is life. Conserving, caring for, and protecting our water resources is everyone’s responsibility!