1st of 2 parts

TUBAJON, Dinagat Island (MindaNews / 13 November) — Fenie Temario was born between the sea and the mountains. At 62, she still lives with her family in the small sitio of Babangnan in Barangay Imelda, Tubajon, a coastal community on the northwestern part of Dinagat Islands, nestled between the vast sea of Surigao Strait in front and the mountains at the back.

The village is isolated, and reaching the town proper requires a long hike, a motorcycle ride along a rough, winding path, or a boat trip across rough seas.

When she was young, there were fewer than 10 families here. Today, there are almost a hundred.

But one thing has never changed — the water that flows from the Imelda watershed.

“It raised us,” Temario said.

The spring water filled their cups, washed their clothes, nourished their small gardens, and kept their children alive. The watershed has been her family’s lifeline for six decades. Yet, despite that constancy, Temario now worries.

Dinagat Islands has been declared a mineral reservation since 1939 under Presidential Proclamation 391, signed by President Manuel Quezon, a decree decades older than Temario.

As mining interests spread across the islands, she fears for the forests that have always provided them with water.

“If mining enters [the watershed], where will we get water? Where will we go?” Temario said.

Temario’s worries are not hers alone. Across Dinagat Islands, many residents share her concern that, as mining companies’ interests expand, the watersheds sustaining their communities may soon be destroyed.

Protecting local watersheds

With mining being an inevitable part of Dinagat Islands’ landscape as a mineral reservation, communities are now pushing to protect the watersheds that have sustained generations.

Communities like Tubajon have advocated for local ordinances to safeguard these vital areas. In 2024, the local government of Tubajon passed the Tubajon Watershed Code.

The code covers 6,227.14 hectares, including three main watersheds: Sambonotan Watershed in Barangay Mabini, covering 2,819.85 hectares; Navarro Watershed in Barangay Navarro, spanning 1,577.96 hectares; and Imelda Watershed in Barangay Imelda, covering 1,403 hectares, which includes the Babangnan watershed.

Tubajon Mayor Simplicia Pedrablanca told MindaNews that the ordinance was more than a decade in the making, an initiative she had started when she was still vice mayor.

“We kept working on it because we couldn’t just stop. This is what people truly need. The purpose of these efforts is to protect the watershed and have it excised from existing mining permits. Our appeal is for them not to disturb these areas,” Pedrablanca said.

She added that the municipality considers these remaining watersheds their last reliable water source.

“Perhaps if you ask anyone across Dinagat, they’ll tell you [water] is one of our biggest problems. But we’ll keep working on it little by little, we won’t stop until watershed protection is fully in place,” she said.

The passage of the ordinance was made possible with the support of non-government organizations (NGOs) — under the umbrella of the Dinagat Communities for Conservation (C4C) — that launched their project in 2023.

C4C is supported by Rainforest Trust (RFT), a US-based nonprofit focused on protecting tropical lands and conserving threatened species. RFT partnered with Filipino NGOs, including Kaisahan Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Kanayunan at Repormang Pansakahan (or Solidarity Towards Countryside Development and Agrarian Reform), the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development, and the Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Development in Mindanaw (BALAOD Mindanaw), as well as the International Land Coalition Asia.

This partnership led to the formation of Dinagat C4C, which aims to promote sustainable conservation practices and protect the island province’s biodiversity for future generations.

According to C4C during its 2023 launch, the project was the culmination of the Dinagat Islands Conservation Program (DICP), which was conceptualized and carried out by the office of Dinagat Islands lone district Representative Kaka Bag-ao, together with the provincial office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), during her term in Congress in 2013.

“We founded the DICP together with various stakeholders in 2013 in an effort to respond to the challenges faced by Dinagat Islands and its people. These included food and water security, human health and welfare, disaster risk reduction, and climate change mitigation and adaptation,” Bag-ao said in 2023.

Aside from Tubajon, the C4C project is also working with the municipalities of Libjo, Dinagat, and Cagdianao. 

“When we started, there were consultations in each municipality. Only those ready to commit joined the project at this stage,” C4C conservation specialist Mavic Hilario said.

Both Libjo and Dinagat municipalities have now passed their own watershed codes.

In Libjo, the declared watershed areas cover 7,409 hectares, spread across 12 separate watersheds. The ordinance was adopted by the municipal council on October 11, 2024, and approved by the municipal mayor four days later.

In Dinagat, the ordinance covers 588.41 hectares of municipal watersheds and local community conservation areas. It includes two main watersheds: Cayetano Watershed in Barangay Cayetano, spanning 280 hectares, and Justiniana Edera – Wadas – Magsaysay Watershed in Barangays Justiniana Edera, Wadas, and Magsaysay, covering 308.41 hectares. 

The ordinance was passed on June 30, 2025, and approved by the municipal mayor on July 15, 2025.

Hilario explained that the municipality of Cagdianao has yet to declare its watersheds due to challenges posed by existing mining operations as mining is recognized as a major industry in the town. 

One of the key areas under discussion is the Matin-ao – Manoligao Watershed, which spans 2,462.68 hectares and falls within the political boundaries of San Jose, Cagdianao, and Basilisa in Dinagat Islands.

Hilario noted that because the watershed crosses multiple municipalities, it involves more complex discussions and coordination.

Rolly Caballero, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO) of Tubajon, told MindaNews that protecting the watershed is crucial because it serves as a key water source for the entire Dinagat Islands.

“Based on the geological profile, much of the island is rocky, so our water source mainly comes from rainfall that is held by the large trees in the forest. There are very few deep wells because the bedrock prevents groundwater accumulation. Protecting these forests is essential to secure our water supply,” Caballero said.

Community lifeline

Temario said that as a woman who leads her family, she worries deeply about what would happen if the water ran out.

“We women are the ones who do the laundry, wash the dishes, and cook. All these chores need water. If our water source disappears, we will be the ones facing the biggest problems. We have no other source we can rely on. If we had to fetch water from elsewhere, it would be dangerous; we could drown while crossing the sea or risk our lives just to get water,” she said.

Temario recalled the El Niño in 2024, when extreme heat slowed the water flow.

“During that time, the water was barely moving. But it didn’t run out completely. We managed to survive because the watershed still sustained us. We used the river for laundry, and drank what we could get from the spring. It was slow, but it was enough to get by,” she explained.

She stressed the fundamental truth that water is life.

“You can live without food for a while, but you cannot live without water,” Temario said.

Dexter G. Benlot, an organic farmer in Barangay Cayetano in Dinagat town and president of the Konseho sa Nagkahiusang Katawhan sa Dinagat Inc. (KNKDI), an association of people’s organizations across the municipality, highlighted how crucial the watershed is not only for daily water needs but also for agriculture.

“Here in Cayetano, our barangay is the main rice-producing area in the entire town. Our livelihoods depend on rice. If the watershed is affected, the water that sustains all of these will be gone. The community would be greatly dismayed because water is our number one source for everyday activities. Water is universal, we use it in everything, so protecting the watershed is essential for the community,” Benlot said.

In Cayetano, about 45 hectares are irrigated, with an additional 75 hectares in rain-fed areas. The irrigation system relies directly on the watershed for its water supply, meaning the watershed supports both potable water and agricultural activities.

“The Cayetano watershed, covering 280 hectares, sits at a higher elevation above the rice fields. If mining operations reach this area, all agricultural activities downstream could fail. Protecting the watershed is not just about water, it’s about the survival of our livelihoods,” Benlot warned.

Dinagat town is the only municipality in the entire province that has no active mining operation.

Commitment of the local government unit

Hilario, the conservation specialist, said one of the biggest factors for the success of the C4C project is the willingness of local government units (LGUs) to declare their watersheds.

“In this project, we don’t declare the watersheds ourselves; it’s the LGUs that do it. The commitment of the local government is crucial. It’s not just a paper commitment because it directly affects the communities, and communities look to the mayor for guidance. If the mayor doesn’t support it, it’s difficult for the barangay to move forward because it may not align with the municipal program,” Hilario said.

She added that the willingness of LGUs shows their dedication to watershed protection, though it is not without challenges.

For Pedrablanca, the C4C project comes at a critical time as the municipality’s population grows and the demand for water increases.

“This project with C4C is really important. We are making every effort to protect the watersheds because water is life. In our programs, especially the watershed initiatives, this is non-negotiable. We cannot just let it go; it has to be safeguarded for everyone,” Pedrablanca said. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao / MindaNews)

Tomorrow: Engaging communities through livelihood and conservation

This story is published with the support of Canal France International under the Media for One Health program.