Nicanor Perlas is a presidential candidate in the Philippines who has a plan to improve watershed management in the country. His plan is to view development through the lens of bioregions defined by watersheds. He wants to ensure every community has access to clean water by partnering with organizations to build water systems. Key aspects of his plan include improving water resource management, conducting conferences on water issues, assessing freshwater intrusion, protecting lakes, and preventing activities like logging that damage watersheds.

1. What to do in the Philippines?Presidential Candidate NicanorPerlas’ Plan for the Watersheds in the Philippines.

2. Perlas’ Official Statement from his PlatformWe affirm the importance of bio-geographical equity in our pursuit of ecologically sound development. This requires viewing development on the basis of bioregions, delineated along the diverse watersheds of our country. We affirm our intention to harness the uniqueness and the beauty of our bioregions to develop greater opportunities for communities located in the unique combinations of uplands, lowlands, and coastal waters across the country. Simultaneously a bio-geographical consciousness deepens our appreciation of and relationship with Nature.

3. Map of the watersheds and mines in the Philippines

4. What does Perlas Plan to do?Mobilize development partnerships with indigenous well-drillers, water system engineers, socially responsible businesses, community organizers from civil society to ensure that every community or family has access to clean sources of water.

5. Perlas

6. How does he plan to do it?Improve management, quality and sustainability of the country’s water resources.Conduct, in partnership with the appropriate civil society and business partners, a global conference on the scientific and cultural significance of water resources and their implications for better water quality and supply.Assess the extent of fresh water intrusion in the aquifers of coastal cities and towns.Remove all human activity that hasten the dying of lakes including fishing pens in Laguna de Bay and Taal Lake.Ensure the integrity of the country’s watersheds by, among others, preventing illegal logging, mining, and real estate development.

7. Questions?Burgos Jr., Nestor P. "NicanorPerlas - Official Website | Philippines | P30,000 Water System Solution–Perlas | News." NicanorPerlas - Official Website | Philippines | Home. Inquirer Visayas, 16 Mar. 2010. Web. 21 Mar. 2010. <http://www.nicanor-perlas.com/News/p30000-water-system-solutionperlas.html>."NicanorPerlas - Official Website | Philippines | Complete Platform | Nicanor." NicanorPerlas - Official Website | Philippines | Home. 2010. Web. 21 Mar. 2010. <http://www.nicanor-perlas.com/Nicanor/complete-platform2.html>.