APRSCP Roundtables

8th APRSCP
(New Date) 18-20 September 2008
Venue: SHANGRILA MACTAN, CEBU, PHILIPPINES

Theme: "“SCP and Green Growth for Climate Action”

HRH Speech     Eco-Awards

Eco Award for Water Innovations

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The Eco Award for Water Innovations was given to Mr. Manny Osmena of the Hilton Cebu Resort and Towers during the Dinner hosted by the Province of Cebu, represented by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at the Provincial Capital on 18 September 2008.

The Award was in recognition of:

• the desalination of salt water
• rain water collection,
• and recycling of black and grey water -
• on the overall...reducing his water footprints and serves a a role model especially for stakeholders who are encountering a shortage of precious water.

“ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE”

• desalination
• rain-water harvesting
• recycling of black and grey water
• water impounding
• many others

To get a better perspective, the Award can be summed up in the follwing article:

HILTON CEBU RESORT & TOWERS: A GREEN Resort Hotel & Residential Complex

More than a decade ago, when Manny Osmeña conceptualized the Hilton Cebu Resort & Towers ("Hilton Cebu"), his vision was to build a green project, a zero-waste water project to protect and keep the pristine and clean waters of the Hilutungan channel and to follow the ideals of sustainable development in the conservation of water resources.

With that vision, he contracted Salcon of Singapore to design & commission a zero-waste water facility comprising of a grey-water and rainwater processing plant, sewage treatment plant and a water desalination plant. To suit the entire water facility, the buildings were designed & built with separate pipelines for the collection of grey-water from the drain of the baths & wash basins, black-water from the water closets, and a line for the rainwater. Separate pipelines were also built for the supply of potable water (for drinking, washing & shower) and non-potable water (for flushing toilets & gardening).

Initial costs of building the project was higher, but the long term benefits is proving to be much more substantial, and the fulfillment of helping to save the mother nature which God has graciously given to mankind is unquantifiable.

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Dr. Lucio Tan receives Eco Award for Water Sustainability

For his pioneering work in promoting water conservation, taipan Lucio Tan (center) receives the Eco Award for Water Sustainability during the 8th Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP) in Cebu City. APRSCP cited Tan and his group of companies for rehabilitating and/or constructing small water dams in Northern Luzon that help conserve fresh water for enhanced agricultural productivity. Photo shows Tan with (L-R) APRSCP president Dr. Olivia Castillo; Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia; His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, chair of the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation; and former President Fidel V. Ramos.

LUCIO TAN GROUP SMALL WATER IMPOUNDING PROJECTS (SWIP)

A model Climate Change Action for sustainable consumption & production

In 2004, the provinces of Ilocos Sur and La Union suffered from severe drought. Sounding the alarm bells, Dr. Lucio Tan told rice and tobacco farmers that they were extracting too much fresh water from the aquifers for irrigation. He warned that this could lead to disastrous effects if and when salty seawater begins to seep into the water table. True to his prediction, salty water entered the aquifers and ended up being used for irrigation. This severely damaged tobacco plants and other crops, leaving thousands of farmers in debt.

Dr. Tan found it ironic that farmers depended too much on water from deep wells, whereas rainwater just flows to the sea during rainy months. He wondered whether there was a way of capturing and conserving this precious resource for use during dry spells.

While small reservoirs are the best facilities for storing huge volumes of rainwater, the once fully-functional irrigation dams in the '70s could no longer effectively store enough fresh water due to wear and heavy siltation.

Assessing the problem, Dr. Tan sought the help of former agriculture secretary and now Sorsogon congressman Salvador H. Escudero III. Assisted by project director Richard Yao, Dr. Escudero began the arduous task of identifying and inspecting once operational irrigation dams.

After making a shortlist and detailed engineering studies, Dr. Escudero and his team of water and soil experts proposed seven (7) priority irrigation dams for construction and rehabilitation. Dr. Tan immediately ordered Fortune Tobacco Corp. and his group's philanthropic arm Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. to finance construction of these dams.

Dr. Tan's aim is three-fold: 1) fresh water conservation; 2) productivity enhancement; and 3) provision of extra sources of livelihood.

Todate, there are seven (7) small water impounding projects (SWIP) in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Cagayan Province which can store a combined volume of almost a million cubic meters of fresh water. Two (2) more small dams are currently in the pipeline. These projects are concrete Climate Change Actions which are GREEN models for sustainable consumption and production.

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