On September 10–11, 2026, barangay officials, youth leaders, local environmental officers, and academic researchers convened for a two-day river summit held at San Antonio-San Nicolas Elementary School in Oton and the Sto. Domingo Multipurpose Hall in Arevalo. Guided by the Local Government Code, this activity served as a convergence point for local government units (LGUs), academia, and grassroots communities to establish a joint framework to protect the Iloilo-Batiano River system.
A Multi-Sectoral Co-Management Model
The summit brought together 55 participants, representing a structured collaboration between the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Iloilo City, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Oton, academic researchers from the University of the Philippines, and local community representatives. By pairing barangay officials with youth leaders, the event established a bottom-up framework for transboundary environmental governance. Discussions and field exercises focused directly on critical riparian communities: Brgy. Mohon, Brgy. Sto. Dominggo, Brgy. Sto. Niño Sur, and Brgy. Sta. Cruz in Iloilo City and Brgy. Alegre, Brgy. Poblacion North, Brgy. San Antonio, Brgy. Pob. West, Brgy. Buray, Brgy. Tagbac Sur, and Brgy. Cagbang in Municipality of Oton.
This intersection of administrative, academic, and community stakeholders highlights how cross-border cooperation between a highly urbanized city and a neighboring municipality can address shared environmental challenges through collaborative public co-management.
Two Days of Fieldwork and Local Realities
The program combined historical context, localized environmental planning, and hands-on field assessments to align academic research with local insights.
Following welcome remarks from local executive representatives, Project Leader Rhodella A. Ibabao introduced the project goals on day 1 (History and Fieldwork). Mr. Rene C. Trance delivered a lecture on the connected histories of the Iloilo and Batiano rivers, bridging the historical narrative into contemporary environmental planning goals outlined by Project Fellows Alan Dino Moscoso and Brian Ventura. Their discussion focused on challenges including river regulations, the development of inclusive public spaces, and social justice for riverside communities. Research Assistant Michelle Ann Loredo then guided four multi-sectoral teams in conducting rapid environmental appraisals across four river segments (Mohon and the Severino Haro Bridge on the Iloilo River, and the San Antonio and Sta. Cruz bridges on the Batiano River) with dedicated facilitators assigned to each group.
On day 2 (Solutions and Action Plans), teams presented their findings on the river’s ecological state, followed by facilitator feedback on the field activities and worksheets. Loredo then shared Asian case studies on integrating river heritage preservation into local tourism and economics.
Instead of rigid regulations, the groups collaborated on shared zoning and open communication between neighboring barangays.
Immediate Strategic Priorities
To address interconnected challenges like solid waste, rising water levels, riverbank erosion, and drifting garbage, the summit established three core priorities:
* Community Capacity Building: Training residents and local personnel in environmental monitoring to establish long-term stewardship.
* Policy and Infrastructure Alignment: Planning the installation of Iloilo City’s established trash trap designs upstream in Oton, requiring both LGUs to synchronize their respective waste ordinances and infrastructure budgets.
* Eco-Cultural Preservation: Showcasing artifacts from the Batiano River in local museums to pave the way for a future eco-cultural zone. Both LGUs noted the need for local ordinances regulating river diggings to protect cultural items, aligning local measures with the National Cultural Heritage Act (R.A. 10066 / R.A. 11961) and riparian zone protections under the Water Code of the Philippines.
Institutional Collaboration & Support
The summit was co-organized by CENRO, led by EnP Janis Sy, and MENRO, led by Menchie Gulanes. On-the-ground coordination was spearheaded by the dedicated ENRO staff of both LGUs, working directly alongside the community and academic teams.
Institutional backing was provided by Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas, Oton Mayor Sofronio Fusin, Jr., Barangay Captain Larry Lorenzo, and Principal Aylen Artuz.
The summit and its supporting study are funded by the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) as part of the research project “Revitalizing an Urban River: The Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination in Improving the Governance of the Iloilo-Batiano River System, Year 3.” It is implemented by the UP Visayas Research Team led by Ibabao, Ventura, Moscoso, and Loredo, alongside team members Jeestin Kent Gabinera, Geraldine Camandillo, and Maricar Gebucion.
Through this collaborative framework, the participating LGU offices, academic teams, and community members are establishing a permanent co-management model to safeguard their shared water resources.
Written by the UPV Project Team
#UniversityofthePhilippinesVisayas
