BILANG pagkilala sa kanyang natatanging kontribusyon na mapanatiling malinis at malusog ang ating kapaligiran at waterways, awardee si Sen. Cynthia Villar sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources- National Capital Region (DENR-NCR) “Gawad Taga-Ilog 2.0: Search for the Most Improved Estero in Metro Manila” sa pagdiriwang ng World Water Day (WWD).

Pinuri rin ng DENR-NCR si Villar sa kanyang adbokasiyang alagaan ang ating natural resources, solid waste management, sustainable tourism at community development.

Sa kanyang Acceptance Speech sa okasyong ginanap sa Radisson North EDSA, Quezon City, iginiit ni Villar na ang mga ito ang palagian niyang prayoridad at adbokasiya bilang isang indibidwal, legislator at public servant.

Nangunguna ang senador sa pagtataguyod sa malusog na kapaligiran lalo na ngayong nahaharap tayo sa Isang global health crisis. Pinagsisikapan din niya ang water sustainability.

Ginunita ni Villar, chairperson ng Senate committee on environment and natural resources, na four years ago on this day in 2018, together with the Manila Bay Site Coordinating Management Office and all other organizations, the DENR-NCR also awarded me as “Kampeon ng Katubigan” for my efforts in leading the protection of bodies of water such as the Las Piñas Zapote River and the Las Piñas Parañaque Wetland Park.”

“Eleven years ago, in 2011, I also received an award for the river rehabilitation program. I started in my home city- the Sagip Ilog program. It bested other initiatives from 38 other countries and won the United Nations Water for Life Best Water Management Practices during World Water Day celebration in Zaragoza, Spain,” sabi pa ni Villar.

Naging hamon sa kanya ang mga pagkilalang ito para mas marami pa siyang gawin sa ating kapaligiran.

“Now, it’s World Water Day again, and the theme of this year’s celebration is, “Groundwater: making the invisible visible”, which highlights an otherwise invisible water resource,” ayon kay Villar.

Ipinahayag ng United Nations’ International Groundwater Resources Assessment Center (UN-IGRC) na mahalaga ang groundwater na pinagkukunan ng kalahati ng ating iniinom na tubig sa buong mundo. May 40% ng tubig mula rito ang gamit sa irrigated agriculture at 1/3 ng tubig sa mga industriya.

Dahil agrikulturang bansa ang Pilipinas, iginiit ni Villar na importante ang tubig sa ating seguridad sa pagkain.

“We do have to keep on reminding people that water is not an infinite resource and it is in fact getting scarce,” ani senador

“The World Economic Forum, water scarcity is among the biggest challenges to the global economy. So, water security becomes an even more important and urgent concern for all of us,” dagdag pa niya.

Malaking tulong din ang groundwater sa ating ecosystems at sa baseflow ng mga ilog.

“Groundwater is also an important part of climate change adaptation process and is often a solution for people without access to safe water.”

Dismayado naman si Villar sa sinabi ng UN-IGRC tungkol sa kakulangan ng groundwater.May 663 milyon sa buong mundo ang walang malinis na inuming tubig sa kabila ng mabilis na pagdami ng tao.

“So, we need to ensure that we have a steady and sustainable supply by addressing the various challenges confronting water resources and of course, finding solutions,” added the senator. (ESTONG REYES)