Community Lake Monitoring Network in Los Baños, Laguna

Los Baños

Los Baños is a first class urban municipality in the Province of Laguna famous for its hot springs and buko pies. It is bounded by Mt. Makiling on the south and southwest, the town of Bay on the east, the Municipality of Calamba on the northwest, and the Laguna de Bay on the north. The town lies on the slope of Mt. Makiling, a dormant volcano, and is crossed by 5 rivers - Dampalit, Saran, Pili, Mulawin, and Maitim and their tributaries, all draining to Laguna de Bay.

Los Baños is also known as a center for academics, science, and research particularly in the development of agriculture and conservation of the environment. It is home to the University of the Philippines – Los Baños and the National High School for the Arts, and research institutions including the Philippine Rice Research Institute, ASEAN Center for Biodiversity and SEAMO-SEARCA.

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CLMN in Los Baños

On 27 - 29 October 2004, the Kilos Kabataan Para sa Lawa (an ecological camping) was conducted by CLEAR for the youth in Los Baños. Lake monitoring by communities was one of the activities introduced to the campers. Seeing the opportunity to continue their action plans - as well as the potentials of each youth to lead in conservation efforts - the graduates of the 2004 CLEAR EcoCamp formed the Youth CIRCLE. It has then evolved to a youth organization with over 70 members from different high schools in Los Baños, focused in organizing youth activities for the environment and the society.

In 03 June 2006 at the CLEAR Youth Network Congress held at the University of Rizal System campus in Tanay, Rizal, the Youth CIRCLE pledged its commitment to join the CLMN. YC initiated the conduct of a workshop on Community Lake Monitoring on 19 September 2006 at the College of Human Ecology, University of the Philippines - Los Baños. The workshop aimed to brief the YC members on the CLMN procedures and to come up with concrete plans for its implementation.

Youth CIRCLE officially conducted their first of the series of water sampling on the lake and its tributaries on 14 October 2006 under the supervision of YC adviser, Ms. Jennifer Marie Sunga of University of the Philippines - Los Baños.

Los Baños Monitoring Results