ANGELES CITY — The Angeles City Water District (ACWD) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc. (ARAW-ACI) committing to join the Adopt-a-Watershed Reforestration Program on November 11, 2022 at the ACWD Administrative Building in Angeles City.

The ACWD will adopt 30 hectares of land in Sitio Balaro, Sapangbato and commits to maintain the planting site.

“Water is life. It is our commitment. And this is just the beginning. We are greatly responsible for water sustainability and climate change mitigation and one way to do this is to help preserve the watershed. No cutting of trees but instead add more. We are all stakeholders,” ACWD General Manager Edgar Lopez stressed.

For this year, one hectare will be planted with hardwood seedlings like narra, molave, palawan cherry, tibig kalabaw, cupang and bamboo near Sapang Ebus to replenish the water supply.

A water pump will also be built at the site in preparation for summer.

Signing the MOA were ARAW ACI President Renato “Abong” Tayag Jr., ACWD GM Edgar Lopez, Executive Assistant V Rafael Angeles representing Angeles City Mayor Carmelo” Pogi” Lazatin Jr., KAAPKA President Henry Pan and CENRO Officer-in-Charge Achimedes M Lazatin.

Witnessing the signing were Angeles City Vice-Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting, ACI Executive Director Minerva Zamora-Arceo, ACWD Director Angela Panganiban, ACWD Branch Manager Engineer Lodee Mar Gunlao, the ACWD Board of Directors and KAAPKA members.