7 int'l speakers expected in rainwater harvesting confab

PIA Press Release 2010/11/15

7 int'l speakers expected in rainwater harvesting confab

Iloilo City (15 November) -- Seven resource persons coming from different countries have already signified their participation in the "International Conference on Rainwater Harvesting in the River Basin for Water Security" to be held in Iloilo City on November 23 to 26, 2010.

Iloilo Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Soledad Sucaldito said they have invited internationally renowned speakers from Taiwan, Canada, Germany, China and even in the country who have responded positively.

Sucaldito is the co-chair of the Steering Committee formed by Governor Arthur Defensor to oversee and implement plans and programs in line with the event.

The international resource speakers who have accepted the invitations are Dr. Johannes Paul, of German Technical Cooperation who will discuss Rainwater Harvesting for Urban Ecological Services; Mr. Mike Price, former General Manager of Toronto Water in Toronto, Canada who will speak on Integrating Rainwater Harvesting in Urban Planning; Asa Gholizadeh of University of Putra Malaysia who will discuss Precision Farming and NIR Spectrophotometer Role in Sustainable Water Utilization; and Prof. Andrew Lo of the Chinese Cultural University in Taipei,Taiwan who will talk on Rainwater Harvesting for Flood Mitigation.

Two resource speakers from China will also participate in the conference. They are Prof. Qiang Zhu, and Prof. He Li of the Southeast University in Nanjing.

Philippine Watershed Management Coalition President Jessica Salas, who is also one of the organizers of the event and an internationally renowned speaker on environment and watershed joined the list of the international resource persons.

Local resource speakers are led by Dr. Pacencia Milan, former President of the Visayas State University and author who will talk on "Rainforestation: Keeping the forest as a rainwater harvesting system".

Former Cabatuan, Iloilo Mayor Ramon Yee was also invited to speak during the event. He will discuss Embedding Rainwater Harvesting in Local Governance.

Sucaldito said they are expecting some 200 participants to the event. As of, November 10, there are around 150 individuals who have confirmed their attendance.

Participants are expected to draft resolutions and action plans toward a policy on managing rainwater in their respective realm of influence, showing conservation of water and land in the river basin/watershed; and thus protecting/enhancing ecological services under the vicissitudes of climate change at the end of the three-day event. (PIA/LAFrench)

Cabatuan.com - Timeline 2010