WE are living in dangerous times. Supertyphoons have become the new normal. They brings tons and tons of voluminous rain where it cascades from the mountains into our river systems. More than 10-million Filipinos in Metro Manila and other outlying areas are affected by them. Tens of millions more in other areas in the provinces.
Those responsible for protecting us against massive flooding should be up to par and up to the challenge in facing the perils caused by rivers bursting in the seams.
We ourselves, ordinary citizens, should also familiarize ourselves with what we are confronted with during the rainy season. We should also learn from how other countries have tamed their rivers and how they eventually benefitted from them.
This is exactly what will happen this week in Marikina. As early as today, more than 600 river stake-holders comprising of national and local authorities, policy experts, river managers from the public and private sectors, academe, leaders in clean water technology, river advocates and students are expected to attend the upcoming 2nd International River Summit on November 19 to 21, 2014 which will be held at the Marikina Convention Center, Marikina City.
These river stakeholders will be converging in plenary discussions and thematic breakout sessions where international and local experts in the field of river and environmental management will be sharing expertise, knowledge, studies, and best practices during the river summit.
Themed “Reviving Rivers, Rebuilding Civilization”, the summit serves as a platform for the revitalization of rivers in economic, social, and cultural terms, and likewise aims to identify and apply enduring, tangible, and achievable solutions for river problems and challenges.
Topics like developing healthy rivers, governance of the river basin, river ecosystem management, river eco-tourism, biodiversity conservation, roles of industry, climate change and disaster risk reduction management are some of the subject matters which will be included in the discussions during the summit.
“We invite everyone to join us in the 2nd International River Summit. Rivers have played an important role in the birth of human civilization. It is just fitting that we give back to them by convening and working together in reviving, conserving, and living together with rivers in harmony,” said Mayor Del De Guzman.
The 2nd International River Summit is organized by the city government of Marikina in partnership with the Rotary Club of Marikina, and co-organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-River Basin Control Office (DENR-RBCO) and League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP).
Registration for the 2nd International River Summit is still ongoing. Interested individuals may contact the Summit Secretariat at numbers (02) 975-5112, or email marikinariversummit@gmail.com, or visit the website www.irsmarikina.com.
Partnership and ad-placing is likewise welcome through dialing (02) 985-2227 or writing communications to forenaft.2010@gmail.com for more information. ABISO/PAUL EDWARD SISON
