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Hosting of the 10th Living Lakes Conference |
The SCPW, through the membership of Laguna de Bay, had played host to the 10th
Living Lakes Conference on 15 to 19 2005 in Tagaytay City.
The conference theme"The Lake and its People: Responsible Stewardship by
Lake Communities" was centered on the interaction between the
lake and its people. It was focused on how communities
in densely populated lake regions seek a balance between
complex resource uses and sustainable development.
Participants had the opportunity to learn more about how the
issue is being addressed by the various lake stakeholders
during the field trips in Lucban (Quezon Province), Tanay (Rizal
Province) and Calamba (Laguna Province).
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Day 1, 15 May 2005
Guided Field Trip to -
Ayala Greenfields (Calamba, Laguna), and
Lucban (Quezon) |
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The first activity
was the field trip to Calamba, Laguna. From the view point of the Ayala
Greenfields Estate, the participants were able to see
the panoramic view of Laguna de Bay and its surrounding
environment, including Mt. Makiling.
The group then proceeded to Lucban,
Quezon, a major watershed of Laguna de Bay. A warm
reception was given by the townpeople and the municipal mayor
of Lucban, Hon. Moises Villase�or. The participants had the chance to experience
the culture and festivities at the Pahiyas Festival.
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Day 2, 16 May 2005
Guided Field Trip to -
Tanay (Rizal), and
Light Industry and Science Park (Calamba, Laguna) |
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Every community has a role to play in the overall
stewardship of the lake. In the Laguna de Bay region,
this is underscored by the involvement of the local government
units, the non-government
organizations, the academe, the youth, and most importantly,
the business sector, in the planning and implementation of
lake stewardship projects.
During the field trips to the Municipalities of
Tanay, Rizal and Calamba, Laguna, the participants had the opportunity
to meet the local community,
the local government officials, and the members of the
Federation of River Basin Councils in the Laguna de Bay
region, and the members of
the Eco-Industrial Exchange Network, and the chance to learn about their
involvement in the stewardship of Laguna de Bay.
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Day 3, 17 May 2005
Conference Day 1
Sampaguita Ballroom, Taal Vista Hotel (Tagaytay City)
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The opening of the conference was graced
by Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (who had cocktails with the participants),
the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Michael
Defensor (who delivered the key note speech), the past and present presidents of
the SCPW (Mr. Carlo Custodio, Ms. Adelina Borja, Ms. Amy Lecciones, Mr. Filemon
Romero and Dr. Ben Malayang III), among others.
The topic discussed in the first session was Issues on Lake
Stewardship, focusing on the Legislation and Legal Framework
for Managing Lake Communities; while the next session was
focused on Communities as Effective Lake Stewards.
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Day 4, 18 May 2005
Conference Day 2
Sampaguita Hall, Waling-Waling 1 & 2, Ilang-Ilang 1 & 2
Taal Vista Hotel (Tagaytay City) |
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The second day of the Conference was opened
by a session on Sustainable Development in Lake Communities. This
was later followed by presentations of Best Practices in Lake Stewardship
and the Tangible Examples of Water and Lake Stewardship from the Corporate
Sector.
Four workshops and a youth forum were conducted simultaneously in the afternoon.
Four different topics on Sustainable Development in Practice - Finding a
Compromise were tackled by the four groups.
- Water for Cities versus Water for Lake
Ecosystems?
- Rural Development - Regulating Urban Growth and
Settlements
- Corporate Social Responsibility - Model
Strategies and Projects
- Examples for Environmental Initiatives of
Business Companies
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The participating youth in the Youth Forum were coming
from six different groups: the Eco-Campers (Kilos Kabataan
Para sa Lawa) from Tanay and Los Ba�os, the officers of
ASAPhil (Architectural Students Association of the
Philippines) - UP Chapter, and the three winning teams in the
Lumban Delta Design Competition.
The outputs of the groups were then presented in the plenary
later in the afternoon. Before the Conference was
closed, the "Best Conservation Practice Award" was
given by the Living Lakes Network to the Federation of River
Basin Councils in the Laguna de Bay Region. The
President of the Federation Lina Tanjuatco and some Council
Presidents were there to receive the award.
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Day 5, 19 May 2005
Internal Session for Member Lakes/Organizations
Bougainvillea Pavillion, Taal Vista Hotel (Tagaytay City) |
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conference website
more pictures
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