Recently, at the 4th Quarter Watershed & Environmental Management Meeting for the Cordillera Administrative Region, the University of the Cordilleras (UC) took center stage, showcasing its cutting-edge initiative Project DANUM – Decision Support and Nurturing Management of Watersheds. The project is designed to support the health of the Bued Watershed (spanning the City of Baguio and the municipalities of Tuba and Itogon) through a technology-enhanced decision support system.
Why this matters
Project DANUM isn’t just another research study, it’s a collaboration with local government units (LGUs) in Baguio, Tuba and Itogon, engaging communities in monitoring water quality, mapping land-cover changes and joining watershed councils. By building bridges between academe, government and local stakeholders, the initiative helps establish formal cooperation frameworks among actors handling water resources.
This collaboration aligns with the global measure known as Indicator 6.5.4 – Cooperation on water-resources management under the SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation framework, which focuses on the existence of agreements and cooperation arrangements across boundaries and actors in water management.
What the meeting highlighted
- UC’s presentation of Project DANUM emphasized how the program is turning research into actionable tools, such as sensor networks for real-time river and watershed monitoring, and interactive land-cover maps shared with LGUs.
- Stakeholders at the meeting were reminded of the value of collaborative governance: when communities, local governments and universities work together, the management of shared water systems becomes more effective and inclusive.
- The discussion pointed out how data-driven decision support systems (like the one developed under DANUM) can strengthen not just technical monitoring, but also the trust and coordination needed across regions.
Thanks to this partnership:
- Local LGUs now have shared tools and information to better understand watershed dynamics (e.g., land-cover shifts, water-quality trends).
- Communities get “in on the action” rather than being passive recipients—they engage in monitoring and planning.
- The region moves closer to establishing lasting cooperation arrangements around water resources, which means better resilience, more sustainable management and fewer surprises when natural or human-caused pressures hit.
UC and its partners aim to scale up Project DANUM, deepen community engagement, and solidify the frameworks for multi-stakeholder water-resources management—ensuring that cooperation isn’t just a one-off event, but a sustained practice. With initiatives like this, the region is stepping into a future where research, government action and community engagement join hands to care for its rivers and watersheds.
