ππππ ππ πππ π πππππππ, πππ¦π©ππ§π π β The Talisay River in Bataan won second place in the RIVERs (Recognizing Individuals/Institutions Towards Vibrant and Enhanced Rivers) for Life Awards of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Assistant Secretary for Environment Jacqueline Caancan personally handed the award to DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo and Bataan Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Raul Mamac during the World Water Day PH Recognition 2026 held on March 19 in Manila.
Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo noted that the recognition reflects the impact of sustained collaboration among government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and communities in protecting and rehabilitating the river.
βThis recognition affirms that strong partnerships and sustained on-the-ground action can lead to meaningful gains in river rehabilitation. It also inspires us to further strengthen our efforts with LGUs, private partners and communities to protect our waterways and advance the rehabilitation of Manila Bay,β Pablo said.
The DENR and its partners have implemented various interventions to improve Talisay Riverβs condition, including the deployment of River Rangers for regular cleanup and patrol activities, installation of trash traps, and extensive information and education campaigns.
Green spaces have likewise been established in the City of Balanga, such as the 54-meter Mangrove Trail in Barangay Puerto Rivas Ibaba, the 159-square-meter Disiplina Park in Barangay Cupang North, and the 290-linear-meter Linear Park in Barangays Bagumbayan and Talisay.
These projects were implemented to recover legal easement areas, prevent the reoccupation of danger-prone sites, and create recreational green spaces for the community. In support of this effort, the City Government of Balanga relocated 216 informal settler families from the two project sites to safer housing at 1Bataan Village in Barangay Tenejero.
Conservation initiatives were further strengthened through the partnership with the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute for the formulation of the Master Plan for Marine Plastic Management in Bataan Province, a major step in addressing solid waste and marine pollution in the provinceβs river systems, including Talisay River.
Mamac said the DENR will remain steadfast in sustaining efforts to protect and rehabilitate Talisay River through continued partnerships and community participation.
Talisay River, a 13-kilometer river system traversing Pilar and the City of Balanga, is one of the 17 principal river systems within the Manila Bay Watershed Area. It supports Bataanβs drainage system, livelihood, and ecotourism, and serves as the main river of the Talisay Watershed.
Its tributaries, the Abo-abo River, Tiawir River, Pantingan River, and Catmon River, drain into Talisay River, which also provides irrigation water to farmlands, rice fields, and fishponds.
The river serves as the main drainage system of Pilar and Balanga City, stretching from the upstream area in Barangay Liyang, Pilar, and flowing eastward until it drains into Manila Bay through Barangays Tortugas and Puerto Rivas Ibaba in Balanga City.
The Balanga Wetland and Nature Park is also located at the mouth of Talisay River in Barangay Tortugas. It may be recalled that in January 2025, the City of Balanga was named the first Ramsar-accredited wetland city in the Philippines.
Entries to the RIVERs for Life Awards were evaluated based on the activities and interventions undertaken by the concerned PENROs for their nominated rivers.
These include aesthetic water quality improvement, solid waste management, partnership and community mobilization, information and education campaigns, and innovations.
