Talisay River recognized for rehabilitation excellence

Bataan’s Talisay River earned second place in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) RIVERs for Life Awards during the World Water Day recognition ceremony.

Assistant Secretary for Environment Jacqueline Caancan presented the award to DENR regional executive director Ralph Pablo and Bataan Provincial Environment and Natural Resources officer Raul Mamac.

Pablo said the recognition reflects the impact of collaboration among government agencies, local units and communities in protecting the waterway.

“This recognition affirms that strong partnerships and sustained on-the-ground action can lead to meaningful gains in river rehabilitation,” Pablo said. “It also inspires us to further strengthen our efforts... to protect our waterways and advance the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.”

The DENR has deployed “River Rangers” for patrols, installed trash traps, and launched education campaigns to improve the river’s condition. In the city of Balanga, the agency established green spaces to recover legal easements and prevent the reoccupation of danger-prone areas.

These include a 54-meter mangrove trail in Barangay Puerto Rivas Ibaba and a linear park spanning Barangays Bagumbayan and Talisay.

To support these conservation efforts, the Balanga city government relocated 216 families from project sites to safer housing at 1Bataan Village in Barangay Tenejero.

Conservation has also gone international through a partnership with the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute. The groups are developing a master plan for marine plastic management in Bataan to address solid waste in the province’s river systems.

The 13-kilometer Talisay River traverses Pilar and Balanga. As one of 17 principal river systems within the Manila Bay Watershed Area, it supports local drainage, irrigation for rice fields, and ecotourism.

On the other hand, the Balanga Wetland and Nature Park sits at the mouth of the river; in January 2025, Balanga became the first Ramsar-accredited wetland city in the Philippines.

The RIVERs for Life Awards — which stands for Recognizing Individuals/Institutions Towards Vibrant and Enhanced Rivers —evaluates entries based on water quality improvement, solid waste management, and community mobilization.