MANILA, Philippines — The ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) announced Thursday that it is set to turn over the management of the La Mesa Nature Reserve and La Mesa Ecopark to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) on February 15.
This move marks the culmination of the foundation’s nearly 25-year stewardship of the green paradise in the capital region.
In a statement, AFI said the handover aligns with MWSS’ Integrated Watershed Management Roadmap for Angat, Ipo, and La Mesa, which ensures the protection and preservation of the three watersheds.
MWSS Administrator Leonor Cleofas said the management of the La Mesa Nature Reserve, located in the northern fringes of Metro Manila and Rizal, will be transferred to its corporate office and concessionaires.
MWSS, alongside the local government of Quezon City, will manage the La Mesa Ecopark, an ecotourism, recreational, and educational facility.
To facilitate the handover, both the La Mesa Nature Reserve and the La Mesa Ecopark will temporarily close to the public starting February 12.
Protecting watersheds
AFI said the employees currently working at La Mesa will receive severance packages.
“AFI expresses our heartfelt gratitude to our employees, partners, donors, and supporters for their valuable contributions and support in restoring and sustaining the La Mesa Watershed for almost 25 years,” the foundation said.
In 1999, AFI, through its environmental program Bantay Kalikasan, entered a partnership with MWSS to rehabilitate the La Mesa Watershed, a tropical rainforest and a primary source of drinking water.
According to the foundation, 75% of the area’s forest cover had been destroyed by illegal loggers, poachers, and people engaging in slash-and-burn activities before the rehabilitation project began.
AFI said on its website that it has planted over 1.3 million trees at La Mesa and restored 88.75% of the watershed.
Protecting and preserving watersheds is essential as they store and filter water, clean the air, and provide habitat for diverse plant and animal life.
Healthy watersheds can also absorb planet-warming carbon dioxide and act as natural buffers from cyclones, protecting communities from the devastating impacts of floods.