LUCENA CITY--Mystical Mt. Banahaw is also known as "vulcan de agua" (water volcano) for its abundant water supply, but communities surrounding it are still reeling from the prolonged dry spell.
"The water crisis is being experienced even inside Banahaw. At present, there's nothing that we can do to avert the situation," said Manny Calayag, environment and natural resource officer of Dolores town at the foot of the mountain.
With the drought, he said, the local government would be compelled to ration water, using the municipal fire truck.
Banahaw had been closed to pilgrims and mountaineers for a much-needed rest and rehabilitation for three years, but Calayag said the expected improvement in several water sources in the mountain did not happen at all.
"Yes, fresh water has again returned and flowing through our rivers and falls, but the volume is way below our expectation," he said.
Banahaw and Mt. San Cristobal serve as watershed areas, supplying water for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses to Sariaya, Candelaria, Tayabas, Lucban and Dolores towns--all in Quezon province--and in Rizal, Nagcarlan, Liliw, Majayjay towns and San Pablo City in Laguna.
They sustain water for creeks, rivers and falls draining into Laguna de Bay and Tayabas Bay.
Traversing the protected mountain are seven rivers--Balayong, Maimpis, Liliw, Dalitiwan, Malinao, Nagcarlan and San Diego. The river system provides water for domestic, irrigation and recreational purposes.
The Sta. Lucia, Suplina and Kristallino falls are all found in Banahaw de Dolores.
Jay Lim, program officer of Tanggol Kalikasan-Southern Tagalog, an environment legal defense center based here in Lucena City, said he often found it ironic that he had to bring along bottled water every time an inspection of the mountain was undertaken.
"It's now an ironic reality, a serious environmental crisis if not addressed soon. The mountain watershed needs urgent rehabilitation," Lim said.
However, Sally Pangan, protected area supervisor assigned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to Banahaw, noted that the water situation in Sariaya and Tayabas were not yet critical due to the massive planting of narra species in the areas.
The tree-planting activities were conducted regularly by soldiers and members of non-government organizations, academe and other groups.
LUCENA CITY--Mystical Mt. Banahaw is also known as "vulcan de agua" (water volcano) for its abundant water supply, but communities surrounding it are still reeling from the prolonged dry spell.
"The water crisis is being experienced even inside Banahaw. At present, there's nothing that we can do to avert the situation," said Manny Calayag, environment and natural resource officer of Dolores town at the foot of the mountain.
With the drought, he said, the local government would be compelled to ration water, using the municipal fire truck.
Banahaw had been closed to pilgrims and mountaineers for a much-needed rest and rehabilitation for three years, but Calayag said the expected improvement in several water sources in the mountain did not happen at all.
"Yes, fresh water has again returned and flowing through our rivers and falls, but the volume is way below our expectation," he said.
Banahaw and Mt. San Cristobal serve as watershed areas, supplying water for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses to Sariaya, Candelaria, Tayabas, Lucban and Dolores towns--all in Quezon province--and in Rizal, Nagcarlan, Liliw, Majayjay towns and San Pablo City in Laguna.
They sustain water for creeks, rivers and falls draining into Laguna de Bay and Tayabas Bay.
Traversing the protected mountain are seven rivers--Balayong, Maimpis, Liliw, Dalitiwan, Malinao, Nagcarlan and San Diego. The river system provides water for domestic, irrigation and recreational purposes.
The Sta. Lucia, Suplina and Kristallino falls are all found in Banahaw de Dolores.
Jay Lim, program officer of Tanggol Kalikasan-Southern Tagalog, an environment legal defense center based here in Lucena City, said he often found it ironic that he had to bring along bottled water every time an inspection of the mountain was undertaken.
"It's now an ironic reality, a serious environmental crisis if not addressed soon. The mountain watershed needs urgent rehabilitation," Lim said.
However, Sally Pangan, protected area supervisor assigned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to Banahaw, noted that the water situation in Sariaya and Tayabas were not yet critical due to the massive planting of narra species in the areas.
The tree-planting activities were conducted regularly by soldiers and members of non-government organizations, academe and other groups.
