CORON BAY AND SABANG BAY DECLARED AS WATER QUALITY
MANAGEMENT AREAS
Coron and Sabang waters in MIMAROPA Region are now under the protection of
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) – MIMAROPA through the Water Quality
Management Area (WQMA) program.
Through the issuance of DENR Administrative Orders (DAO) 2016 - 05 and 2016
– 06 for Coron Bay and Sabang Bay, respectively, these waters are now officially
declared as Water Quality Management Areas (WQMAs). Aside from the official
designation, Governing Board on these water quality management areas must be
created. A WQMA governing board will be chaired by the EMB Regional Director and
representatives from the Office of the Governor, Office of the Mayor, Office of the
Barangay Chairman where the WQMA is located, Palawan Council for Sustainable
Development (for Coron Bay), representatives from other regional government agencies
such as DA, DepEd, DENR, DOH, DILG, DPWH, DOST, DTI, DOT, BFAR, CHED,
HLURB, NCIP, NEDA, NIA, PCG, PIA and PNP, representative from NWRB, area
representatives from academe, private/business/industry, water utility and civil society
organizations.
The main aim of the WQMA designation is to improve the water quality through
focused interventions or actions as well as address water quality problems of the area.
Prior to the designation, different activities such as data/information gathering, water
sampling, conduct of public consultation and proposal defence were conducted by the
Bureau as preparation for the official designation.
The designation of water quality management areas is pursuant to the Section 5
of Republic Act 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 which states that “The
Department (DENR), in coordination with National Water Resources Board (NWRB),
shall designate certain areas as water quality management areas using appropriate
physiographic units such as watershed, river basins or water resources regions. Said
management areas shall have similar hydrological, hydrogeological, meteorological or
geographic conditions which affect the physicochemical, biological and bacteriological
reactions and diffusions of pollutants in the water bodies, or otherwise share common
interest or face similar development programs, prospects or problems.”###
ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED
EMB-MIMAROPA conducts stakeholders’ meeting for designation of Coron Bay as Water
Quality Management Area (WQMA) on March 24, 2015 at Corto Del Mar, Coron, Palawan.
Engr. Marcelo dela Cruz III (pictured left above), Focal Person, WQMA, discussed the Philippine
Clean Water Act as well as the WQMA designation process while Engr. Ma. Socorro A. Abu
(pictured right above), OIC, EMED, acted as moderator in the open forum and answered
questions raised by the participants
Stakeholders’ meeting was conducted by
EMB-MIMAROPA for the designation of
Sabang Bay as Water Quality
Management Area (WQMA) on April 23,
2015 at Brgy. Sabang, Puerto Galera,
Oriental Mindoro. Engr. Luis Rongavilla
from NWRB (picture right above)
explained the delineation of Sabang Bay
as WQMA and the mapping of boundaries.
The meeting was headed by the Engr. Ma.
Socorro A. Abu, EMED Chief of EMB –
MIMAROPA (picture left below).
Engr. Marcelo dela Cruz III, Focal
Person, Water Quality Management
Area (WQMA) of EMB-MIMAROPA
discussed the Status of Water
Quality of Coron Bay during the
Advocacy Forum on Tourism
amidst Climate Change on
November 10, 2015 at Coron West
Town, Coron Island, Palawan. This
is in partnership with PIA-
MIMAROPA, DENR-MIMAROPA
and DOH-MIMAROPA and was
attended by Resort and Hotel
Managers/ Owners.
Delineation of Coron Bay (top picture) and
Sabang Bay (left picture) together with Engr.
Luis Rongavilla of National Water Resources
Board (NWRB) on March 23 and 25, 2015.
Water Sampling
DENR Administrative Orders for the official designation