IWM PLAN

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND

STRATEGIC PLANNING
ANALYSIS OF THE IWM PLAN

Marikina River Basin and Nottawasaga Valley

GUANSING, KAYRELLE NORMAE B.

CE239-D01 l 2022-190260

JANUARY 21, 2023

Engr. Kayrelle Normae B. Guansing, CE, SE, MP

 IWM PLAN

IWM PLAN FOR MARIKINA RIVER BASIN

PROBLEMS STRATEGIES

WATER RESOURCES: CONDITION AND MANAGEMENT

Re-opening of Wawa Dam and tapping raw water up to 50 million liters per
day (MLD) is being considered due to the inadequate water supply in Metro
Manila. Its re-opening may not encounter strong opposition compared to
constructing a new high dam that was previously an option to obstruct the
1. Degradation of water quality along the Marikina
point of pollution source.
River as it goes downstream due to the increasing
number of domestic, commercial, and industrial
Wawa Dam water quality is still said to be in conformance with DENR
wastewater being discharged to the river system
Standards for Fresh Waters Class A or Public Water Supply Class II, but not
for the bacteriological organisms. This can be further addressed through an
in-depth study to determine the suitability and sustainability of re-opening
Wawa Dam as a source of water supply.
The private sector is given incentives to develop renewable energy sources,
including hydropower, under the Renewable Energy Law being implemented
by the Department of Energy (DOE). The Calabarzon Regional Development,
on the other hand,

Micro-Hydropower Projects in Marikina City and San Mateo, Rizal are listed
2. Lack of identification of designated water usage for as potential projects in the Plan 2011–2016 to boost
each part of the river system to ensure sustainability the region's competitiveness as a hub for global business. Hydrotec
Renewables Inc. has a pending application for renewable energy service
contracts in response to the private sector, enabling the business to move
forward with the feasibility study for its proposed hydropower projects. The
Marikina River or one of its tributaries will be used in the majority of the
proposed hydroelectric plants. This will further give limitation on the project
capacity considering that the river discharge is directly proportional to the
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WATERSHED RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION
Problems in watershed management include:
• Fast-growing settlement structure
• Too much small-scale charcoal
• Degraded forest cover upstream
• Poor Management of watershed
• Conflicting proclamations on land use
• Land used sustainability
• Deforestation/Kaingin charcoal making by
the locals
• Improper land-use zoning
• Watersheds used as a resettlement area
WETLANDS AND RIVER
Unavailability of easement in the Marikina River due
to pre-occupied structures which are sometimes
extending up to the riverbanks.
drainage area contributing at identified river section.
Focusing on the core issues and problems and in consultation with the
stakeholders, big-ticket projects were identified that will truly address the
problems of the basin as far as watershed management is concerned. The
projects are:
• Community Forest Management Project
• Integrated Watershed Protection and Rehabilitation Project
• Livelihood Generation Project
• Forest Production and Development Project
• Watershed Management Planning Project
• Policy and Institutional Reforms Study
• Harmonization of Tenurial Instruments Study
• Watershed Management Capability Enhancement Project
• Climate Resilience and Green Growth for Marikina River Basin
The NWRB, DPWH, LGUs, Land Management Bureau and NAMRIA define
a program regarding the encroachment of waterways. This multi-sectoral
group should prepare a plan that will define the functions and responsibilities
of each agency. The plan should identify the following:
• The easements of public use along the entire stretch of the Marikina
River system
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WATER QUALITY PROTECTION AND MONITORING
1. Improper domestic wastewater management
due to the absence of sewer lines in the urban
communities
2. The LLDA has the difficulty of monitoring the
numerous industries within the Laguna Lake
Basin wherein the MRB is included partly due to
limited manpower
3. No proper wastewater treatment due to the
prohibitive cost of constructing wastewater
treatment facility (WWTF)
• Development and/or facilities that will be allowed adjacent to the
easements and established buffer zone for installed flood control
structures
• The agency/ies that will check and approve the proposed
development adjacent to the easements and/or established buffer
zones
• The agency/ies responsible for the maintenance of the easements
and established buffer zones
• The agency/ies that have police power to apprehend the violators
• Relocation plan for the existing informal settlers and the implementing
agencies
To identify the facilities not in accordance with environmental standards and
as a result contributing to the pollution of the Marikina River, the LLDA might
conduct a thorough inspection of all establishments inside the MRB.
According to the poll, the LLDA could already regulate all the facilities and
demand that they abide by the relevant environmental laws. Given that
practically all businesses must first obtain a business permit before opening,
the LLDA might work with the LGUs to develop the initial list of businesses.
To carry out this mission, the LLDA will need more resources, including
money. To make it easier to conduct the initial survey, the LLDA may hire
some temporary staff. Some of the survey staff might be permanently fired
after the initial survey is over.
 IWM PLAN
FLOOD CONTROL AND HAZARD MANAGEMENT
STRUCTURAL
1. In Pasig, the absence of dikes/embankments or
closure of Rosario floodgates of the Manggahan
Floodway inundates low-lying areas (Pasig CLUP,
2007).
2. Encroachment of the natural waterways is blocking
the flow resulting to water stagnation or flooding for
days
a. Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project (Pmrcip)
• Phase I: Detailed Design for the Overall Project from Delpan
Bridge to Marikina Bridge; 29.7 km
• Phase II: Channel Improvement Works for Pasig River (Delpan
Bridge to Napindan River); 6.4 km
• Phase III: Channel Improvement Works for Lower Marikina
River including Construction of Marikina Control Gate
Structure (MCGS) (Junction with Napindan River to Mangahan
Floodway); 7.2 km
• Construction of revetment with reinforced concrete river
wall supported by the steel sheet piles along the Pasig
River (total length = approx. 9.90 km on both banks:
revetment with river wall = 7.50 km, river wall only = 2.40
km);
• Dredging of Lower Marikina River (total length = 5.40 km;
total volume = approx. 612,000 m3); and;
• Construction of dike/revetment, river wall and boundary
banks along Lower Marikina River (dike/revetment = 1.70
km, river wall = 0.34 km, boundary bank = 7.06 km).
• Phase IV: Channel Improvement Works for Upper Marikina
River (Mangahan Floodway to Marikina Bridge); 6.1 km
b. Manggahan Floodway
• A controlled waterway used to stop flooding in Manila is the
Manggahan floodway in Pasig City. This is accomplished
by redirecting the Marikina River's peak water flows to the
Laguna de Bay, which acts as a temporary reservoir.
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c. Napindan Hydraulic Control

• The Napindan Hydraulic Control Structure (NHCS) was
built in 1983 to prevent or minimize the rise in salinity from
Manila Bay and pollutants from the Pasig River from
entering Laguna de Bay during periods of reverse flow or
higher water levels in Manila Bay compared to Laguna de
Bay.

NON-STRUCTURAL

a. Project Noah
• The Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards
(NOAH) was launched by the Department of Science and
Technology to put in place a responsive program for
disaster prevention and mitigation.

b. DPWH Effective Flood Control Operation System (EFCOS) Project

• The DPWH implemented the Effective Flood Control
Operation System including Telemetering and Flood
Warning System in the Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Lake
Complex or the EFCOS Project. The project aimed to
achieve effective flood control through water gauging
systems and utilizing warning systems to mitigate flood
damage (Azarias, 2010).

c. Save the Marikina River Project

• The project involved massive drainage improvement by
unclogging the network of canals, creeks, and other
waterways to drain straight into the Marikina River.
 IWM PLAN

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND PHYSICAL STRUCTURE FOR MANAGEMENT

PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

1. Overlapping of the jurisdiction of various
government agencies and sometimes local
An organizational structure is created to carry out the execution of this Master
government units;
Plan, taking into account the strategies identified in the different sectors to
address the issues facing river basins and to put the principles and concepts
of IRBM into practice.
2. Conflicting land uses as many of them are not
based on the capabilities of the lands of the
basin;

3. Overlapping and sometimes conflicting

programs;

4. Poor law enforcement in the watersheds; and

Figure 1 Proposed Organizational Structure for the IRBM of MRB

a. Water resources committee takes charge of the concerns related to

water resources including irrigation and hydropower, water supply for
5. Conflicting laws and policies domestic and industrial use, water- disaster mitigation, drainage and
flood control, hazard management, wastewater, navigation, and
wetland and river management.

b. Watershed development committee takes charge of concerns related

IWM PLAN

to the management and use of land resources inside the watershed,

as well as activities to conserve natural resources and improve the
condition of the watersheds to enable them to optimally provide the
goods and services they should be providing.

c. Environment committee is concerned about the way water is used in

relation to the environment. It includes in its concerns waste
management, clean air, and pollution.

d. Capability building is concerned with the transfer of knowledge and

skills to the different stakeholders who have roles in properly
managing the basins.

e. Information dissemination committee takes charge of communicating

to the different stakeholders the different programs and projects of the
river basin organizations to further solicit participation from the
stakeholders.

f. Policy-making body co-chaired by the 2 Regional Executive Directors

of DENR R4A and NCR will be composed of representatives from the
government-owned and controlled corporations (M), national
government agencies (NEDA, DILG, DA, DPWH), local government
units (mayors, governor), and civil societies or non-government
organizations (NGO). The areas of concern that will be covered by the
policy-making body will include the following:

• Develops programs for funds and friends raising

• Promotes management & development coordination
- Endorses applications for water use permits to NWRB
- Coordinates activities of the different stakeholders
- Prioritizes water supply projects
• Creates enabling conditions for the implementing
stakeholder partners
IWM PLAN

- Formulate an effective system for monitoring of water

extraction
- Monitor progress in implementing programs and
projects
- Provide enabling environment for implementing
agencies to achieve goals for their assigned tasks for
the river basins
• Strengthens stakeholder linkages/partnerships
- Facilitate the process of inter-LGU cooperation in
IRBM
- Enable LGUs to incorporate IRBM in the local
government agenda
• Formulates policies for capability building
• Undertakes conflict management
- Develop policies to harmonize the management,
control, and regulation of water resources
management/development.
- Develop a procedure for conflicts resolution
• Formulates internal operational policies
- Review existing policies and laws related to integrated
water resources management
- Monitor compliance with existing laws and policies
related to integrated water resources management
- Recommend policies to NWRB and other related
bodies
- Recommend and integrate policies and actions for the
protection, management, conservation, and
development of water resources
- Promote incentives for water conservation
• Planning and Implementation
- Coordinate planning & implementation of Integrated
Water Resources Development
• Create a Secretariat
- Establish and operationalize management info system
 IWM PLAN

(land and water)

- Inventory of all water resources
• Approve strategies for IEC campaign

CAPABILITY BUILDING OF BASIN ORGANIZATIONS

The involvement of various stakeholders is necessary for the master plan's

implementation to be successful. Stakeholders should be given the tools they
need to do the duties that have been assigned to them. a) The creation of
systems for project monitoring and evaluation under the MRB; the creation of
RBIIMS; the updating and carrying out of UMWPL's Protected Area
Management Plans; and the formation and strengthening of RBO.

CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND GREEN GROWTH OF LGUs

The management of the basin will be impacted by climate change. In order to

effectively manage the basin, management methods should take into account
how the diverse elements of the basin and its resources are influenced by
climate change. (a) Capacity building for remaining local government units
(LGUs) not included in the ADB Climate Resilience and Green Growth
Project; b) Natural resource assessment; (c) baseline evaluation;
(d) identification and prioritizing of CCA measures; (e) updating of LGU
CLUPs; (f) and DRRM planning.

GENDER ACTION PLAN

1. River pollution and forest degradation resulting not

only from the rapid population growth within the
basin but more from uncoordinated solid waste
management among adjacent LGUs, unregulated
environmentally-harmful domestic and economic
activities like untreated domestic and industrial
wastes, and lack of coordinated institutional
arrangements to simply manage the pollution
a. Alternative Livelihood Enhancement Project
Goal: To provide alternative livelihood options for river basin
communities
b. Strengthening of Women’s Organizations
Goal: To provide wider participation of women in community activities
 IWM PLAN

generated within the basin. and decision making

c. Gender Sensitivity Seminars for Stakeholders

Goal: To enhance gender sensitivity among the various stakeholders
in river basin management

2. Lack of community stake in managing the river basin

most often results in improper practice that degrades
the water bodies or the watershed areas, and worse
contributes to the perennial problem of flooding. The
same lack of environmental concern also often
results in community disregard for environmental
laws and regulations.

INFORMATION EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

1. Spatially overlapping issues and concerns, like a. Core Messages

pollution control and regulation
2. Absence of a functional data bank for pertinent
population-based information, documentation and
other data, e.g. relevant socio-cultural information,
which could be easily accessed for a focused set of
IEC and advocacy messages
3. Sharing of common data for purposes of monitoring,
mapping, data analysis; and timing of planning
processes to optimize efficiency in data collection,
assessment, and even public consultation
• Environmental policies and LGU resolutions
• Health and environmental risks of water pollution
• Protection and conservation of the rivers and forests
• Promotion of sustainable biodiversity
• Community-based and participative climate-resilient
interventions
b. Public Communication
• Public Information and Education
• Social Mobilization
• Media campaign/media relations
c. Creating Behavior Change
• Care for the environment the rivers and the forest through
IWM PLAN
4. Lack of community stake in managing the river basin
that most often than not results in improper practice
that both degrades the water bodies or the
watershed areas, and worse contributes to the
perennial problem of flooding.
5. Disregard and/or ignorance of environmental laws
and policies
actual field protection and conservation activities;
• Adherence to conservation and protection policies;
• Consciousness of the need to restore abundant water
supply; and
• Awareness of roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities
to protect and conserve the rivers and the forest.
d. Participatory Approach
• First, to ensure that the needs and experiences of all
stakeholders are integrated in all phases of the project; and
• Second, to provide a mechanism for hands-on training
enabling clients and beneficiaries to acquire
communication competencies during the project term.
e. Documentation of Lessons Learned and Experiences
• Attention will be given to (a) strategies which work (or so-
called Best Practices) and (b) issues and concerns which
emerge and how these are addressed
f. Integrated, Single-Look, Umbrella Campaign Approach
• The integrated approach will `maximize’ the effectiveness
of the several but separate efforts of the different
government agencies, civil society and other
organizations.” The Plan will also be `strategic and focused
for specific target audiences.’
g. Public Awareness With A Coordinating Arm For Better
Communication
• A core IEC committee, participated in by representatives
from various stakeholder groups, should be formed with an
identified staff to head the committee.
h. Interpersonal and Group Communication
• The advantages of interpersonal and group
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communication are immediacy, the ability to clarify and

validate issues and concerns, and the establishment of
rapport or personal relationships.

i. Development, Production, and Dissemination of IEC and Media

Materials

j. Administrative Communication Channels

• Admin orders, circulars, memoranda, and official letters

k. Mass Media Channels

• Mass media channels include (a) radio, (b) television, (c)
newspapers (national dailies and community newspapers),
and Cable TV.

l. Electronic Media
• Among the electronic channels are email, web page, CD-
ROM, and PowerPoint presentations.

m. Printed IEC Materials

• Among the most common printed materials are brochures,
leaflets, flyers, posters, flipcharts, comics, calendars,
stickers, streamers, and billboards.

n. Promotional Materials
• Among the most common materials are T-shirts, vests,
caps, bags, hand towels, ballpens, fans, and umbrellas.

o. Special Events
• Contests (Environmental Quiz, poster-making, essay
writing, sayawit), concerts, photo contest, games,
exhibits, environmental fiesta, fun run, tree planting,
green and clean up drive, `lakbay-aral’ or cross visits, and
launching events are examples of special events.
 IWM PLAN

IWM PLAN FOR MARIKINA RIVER BASIN

PROBLEMS STRATEGIES

WATER QUALITY & QUANTITY

1. Promote water quality and natural heritage protection and
enhancement through agricultural best management practices and
stewardship.
2. Implement effective nutrient management plans and salt management
plans to reduce the potential for surface and groundwater impacts.
a. Urban runoff 3. Implement erosion mitigation programs for identified priority
b. Water taking subwatersheds.
c. Erosion of creeks and channels 4. Complete an erosion and sediment management plan that identifies
d. Channel and floodplain alterations potential sources and impacts and guides erosion control efforts to
e. Vegetation loss and reduced infiltration reduce instream suspended sediment levels.
f. Wetland loss 5. Advance the development and implementation of innovative erosion
g. Climate Change control practices on development sites.
h. Algae growth
i. Online ponds and weirs 6. Complete urban development-related monitoring.
j. Septic systems
k. Airborne contaminants 7. Continue to implement a coordinated approach to drought
management
8. Maintain pre-development recharge rates, with emphasis on significant
and ecologically significant groundwater recharge areas and significant
surface water contributing areas.
9. Improve understanding of groundwater/surface water interactions and
from that, develop a water balance model as a water management tool.

FLOODING
 IWM PLAN

1. Establish updated floodplain mapping to better assess and understand

flood risk and identify flood-prone areas, particularly in response to
a. Loss of headwater drainage features and channel climate change trends.
length 2. Continue to advance flood monitoring and warning systems to increase
b. Lack of stormwater management accuracy and timeliness.
c. Vegetation loss and reduced infiltration resulting from
3. Continue to protect natural heritage features that provide water
urbanization and development
quantity control in flood-prone catchments.
d. Climate change
4. Manage and maintain flood and erosion control infrastructure.

EROSION
a. Altered surface water regimes 1. Examine and inspect erosion processes and their relationship with
b. Urbanization and increase in runoff erosion hazard mapping.
c. Vegetation clearing along channel banks
d. Weight and vibration along top of bank 2. Identify opportunities to use approaches that optimize the natural form
e. Climate change and function of watercourses to mitigate erosion risk.

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

1. Advance the development and implementation of Low Impact

Development (LID) practices.
2. Inventory catchment areas lacking, or requiring upgraded, stormwater
a. Lack of stormwater management in historically management facilities and implement appropriate retrofit measures.
developed areas
3. Ensure consistent application of stormwater management practices
b. Loss of property and risk to life due to uncontrolled
across jurisdictional (municipal) boundaries, on a
flows resulting in erosion and flooding
watershed/subwatershed basis.
c. Degrade aquatic habitat from nutrient, thermal, and
sediment loading
4. Create natural features (i.e., man-made wetlands) and restore drained
wetlands that can store surface runoff and provide flood attenuation in
areas with high rates of wetland loss; where possible, locate and
design these features to add to overall wetland biodiversity.
 IWM PLAN

5. Protect natural wetland storage areas.

NATURAL HERITAGE

Natural Heritage—Outcome 1
The proportion of each subwatershed covered by natural heritage features is maintained and, where possible, enhanced.
1. Implement strategies for protecting/enhancing forests, wetlands,
dunes, beaches and their buffers in each subwatershed.
2. Protect and enhance forest cover with emphasis on areas of significant
a. Nutrient and contaminant inputs to wetlands hydrological and high groundwater recharge.
b. Urban and rural development and expansion 3. Implement the recommendations from the NVCA’s Minesing
c. Loss of connectivity between features management plans and reports.
d. Change in water -sources to features
4. Develop and implement an Ecological Net Gains policy to enhance,
e. Non-native invasive species
connect and create natural heritage features where applicable and
f. Climate change
appropriate.
5. Promote retention of a high diversity of natural heritage features and
their functions as a natural capital asset.
Natural Heritage—Outcome 2
Aquatic habitat quality, extent, and connectivity are maintained and restored.
1. Improve water quality and aquatic habitat through instream and stream
a. Fish barriers corridor restoration best management practices.
b. Urban and rural development and expansion
2. Manage water-taking permits on a subwatershed basis to maintain
c. Degraded water quality and increased sedimentation
instream flow/level requirements for aquatic life and ensure
d. Presence of dams and their stagnant head ponds
sustainable water supplies.
e. Change in channel bank vegetation
f. Dredging, straightening or piping channels 3. Implement a subwatershed-based program to improve the health and
g. Climate change function of municipal drains for aquatic life and for agricultural uses.
Natural Heritage—Outcome 3
Natural heritage habitat connectivity (including connectivity between individual patches and connectivity between ground- and surface water,
aquatic and terrestrial systems) is maintained and restored.
 IWM PLAN

1. Incorporate measures to reduce road mortality of wildlife species

where opportunities arise as a result of proposed road construction and
road improvements.
2. Implement measures to mitigate the effects of invasive species on
natural heritage features.
3. Support stewardship initiatives regarding best management practices
for managing grassland, thicket, and dune habitats, as they require
disturbance to persist.
4. Identify the hydrological functions and features that are important in
maintaining wetlands.
5. Enhance local fisheries through continued implementation of the
NVCA’s Fisheries Habitat Management Plan.
6. Support the development of natural heritage systems on municipal,
subwatershed and watershed basis.
7. Establish a policy for evaluated (PSW and non-PSW) and unevaluated
wetlands and woodlands. Evaluate unevaluated wetlands and
woodlands as well as those with existing, but dated, evaluations.
8. Encourage municipalities to acquire natural heritage and natural
hazard lands through the subdivision approval process in urban areas.

POLICY AND PROTOCOLS

a. Timely implementation of provincial and regional
policies 1. Develop and implement subwatershed plans.
b. Appropriate planning of future development and
2. Provide local governments with assistance in incorporating
growth areas
environmental policy statements and guidelines (including the IWMP),
c. Coordination of planning tools across 18 lower-tier
into their planning documents.
municipalities
d. Changing provincial and federal policy and funding
direction 3. Implement NVCA’s Climate Change Action Plan and Strategy.
e. Uncertainty related to future climate conditions