By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
A lawmaker from Iloilo’s 3rd District shared plans to rehabilitate and convert the Maasin Watershed Forest Reserve into an ecotourism park, aiming to boost tourism and raise environmental awareness.
The project will involve a partnership between the Iloilo provincial government, the Maasin municipal government, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Rep. Lorenz Defensor said PHP300 million in initial funding has been earmarked in the proposed 2025 General Appropriations Bill.
The project includes clearing debris from the Tigum-Aganan River and adding park facilities such as benches, tables, elevated walkways, bridges, pocket parks, and viewing decks.
Some areas will be designated for educating visitors on reforestation and watershed management.
The plan will also make use of locally sourced bamboo, as Maasin is recognized as Western Visayas’ “Bamboo Capital.”
Defensor assured that the project would not involve cutting trees or altering prominent natural features. The goal, he said, is to encourage public participation in reforestation and water conservation.
“We will fix and preserve the Maasin Watershed. Right now, parts of the reserve, including plants and trees, are falling into the [Tigum-Aganan] River, and we need to preserve the watershed as a crucial water source for Ilonggos,” Defensor said in a radio interview.
“We want the Maasin watershed to recover and be preserved to ensure high-quality water for Ilonggos. Future generations should inherit a sustainable water source,” he added.
Defensor noted that PHP25 million of the initial funding is allocated for sanitation and maintenance facilities to prevent littering and maintain cleanliness.
The ecotourism park will also host regular tree-planting activities, as not all trees planted in the forest reserve survive.
The Maasin watershed was first rehabilitated in the early 1990s with tree-planting efforts during the rainy season, earning the Iloilo provincial government a Galing Pook award in 1995 under then-Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. Maasin also hosts the provincial government’s central tree nursery.
The watershed serves as a primary water source for Metro Iloilo areas, including Iloilo City, Maasin, Oton, Santa Barbara, Cabatuan, Pavia, San Miguel, and Leganes, along with other nearby communities.
