Iloilo aligns five programs for Alapasco Dam plan

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By Mariela Angella Oladive

Iloilo marked a major step in its climate resilience agenda as Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. led the 2025 Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management–Climate Change Adaptation (PDRRM–CCA) Skills Convergence Summit on Dec. 9 at Alapasco Lake in Batad.

For the first time, five key executive orders were presented together, showing how the province’s programs on food security, environmental protection, health preparedness, community tourism, and disaster readiness align under a unified framework.

During the summit, Defensor emphasized the renewed focus on the Alapasco Dam area, noting the need to “start an aggressive program” for the dam.

The highlighted programs include:

• MORProGRes Garden (EO 640-2022):Promotes climate-smart gardens in households and communities, which officials say are vital in upstream barangays surrounding the dam.
• Tanum Iloilo (EO 195-2022):Reinforces reforestation efforts to protect the Alapasco watershed and reduce erosion and flood risks.
• Limpyo Iloilo (EO 125-2024):Improves waste management systems to prevent pollution in water bodies and tributaries feeding the dam.
• Turista sa Barangay (EO 168-2024):Supports community-based tourism that may expand around Alapasco’s lake scenery and natural assets.
• Hazardous Heat Index (EO 20-2025):Ensures health safeguards for communities, particularly those in remote upland areas.

Provincial government offices, including the PDRRM, Provincial Health, Provincial Agriculture Office, Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources, and the Provincial Culture, Arts, History and Tourism offices, detailed how these directives align to support the dam’s long-term sustainability.

Summit participants also joined a tree-planting activity around the lake, reinforcing the province’s ongoing reforestation and watershed protection initiatives.