Wellington N. Flores Jr.

BS ChE V
Environmental Engineering

Watersheds in the Bicol Region

Quinali A Watershed

The 73,800-hectare Quinali A Watershed (QAW) is one of the major sub-basins of the
Bicol River Basin which covers two provinces, Albay and Camarines Sur (Region 5), with
over 92% of the land area falling under the administrative jurisdiction of Albay. This critical
sub-basin is within the Albay Tres Development and Management Unit of the Provincial
Government, representing 26% of the total land area of Albay.

Quinali A Watershed provides significant ecosystem services, such as water for

irrigation and domestic use, to about 370,000 people (2010 NSO Census), majority of
whom reside in the six towns of Camalig, Guinobatan, Libon, Ligao, Oas, and Polangui.
About 95% of the watershed is considered alienable and disposable land.

It is also home to portions of Mt. Marasaga Watershed Forest Reserve, Mt. Malinao
Geothermal Reservation, Bato Lake, and the world famous perfect cone Mount Mayon.
The watershed hosts 177 floral species, 165 land vertebrates, 106 bird species, 20
mammals and 30 reptiles, some of which are rare and endangered.

In 2010, total forest cover in the priority site was at 7,000 hectares or 9% of total land
area. However, continued forest and habitat degradation was observed in Guinobatan
caused mainly by the devastation of Super typhoon Durian (local name Reming) in 2006.
Other threats to forest health include illegal tree cutting and unsustainable fuel-wood
collection, and led to a net forest loss of 27 hectares a year according to 2013-2010 data.
SORSOGON PROVINCE

Magallanes & Juban Watershed Forest Reserve

Location: Magallanes, Juban, Sorsogon

Total Area Covered: 1032 hectares
Proclamation Date: 11/23/1992
Proclamation No.: 108

ALBAY PROVINCE

Mt. Masaraga Watershed Forest Reserve

Location: Polangui, Oas, Ligao, Tabaco, Albay

Total Area Covered: 810 hectares
Proclamation Date: 10\27\1992
Proclamation No.: 84

Mount Masaraga Watershed Forest Reserve is situated in the Municipalities of Polangui,

Oas, Ligao and Tabbaco province of Albay, Island of Luzon. It is protected, well
maintained and improved of its water yield to provide restraining mechanism for
inappropriate forest exploitation and disruptive land-use.
CATANDUANES PROVINCE

Catanduanes Watershed Forest Reserve

Location: Virac, Bato, San Miguel, Catanduanes

Total Area Covered: 26,010 hectares
Proclamation Date: 06/23/1987
Proclamation No.: 123

Catanduanes is an island of 182,300 ha which lies about 10 km off the tip of the Caramoan
Peninsula in southern Luzon. The terrain on the island is hilly, particularly in the central
portion, but the highest point only reaches just over 800 m. The substantial forests which
remain in central Catanduanes are therefore all lowland dipterocarp in type, and are the
largest remaining forest block in the whole of the Bicol Region.

Forest is found above 490 m, and is estimated to cover a total of about 69,770 ha. It
includes considerable areas of old growth dipterocarp forest (reported in 1997 to cover
5,876 ha), and closed-canopy forest in areas that show evidence of having been logged.
These forest areas are the source of water for Catanduanes Province. One hydropower
project is currently operational, that supplies power to urban areas of the island. The forest
areas was proclaimed as a Watershed Reserve in 1987 because of these important
function, the whole area is state-owned.

MASBATE PROVINCE

Diwata Watershed Forest Reserve

Location: San Fernando, Masbate

Total Area Covered: 810 hectares
Proclamation Date: 10/27/1992
Proclamation No.: 84
Matang Tubig Watershed Forest Reserve

Location: Monreal, Masbate

Total Area Covered: 1305 hectares
Proclamation Date: 5/02/1994
Proclamation No.: 368

Matang Tubig Spring is located in Monreal, Masbate. It is a unique spring with three
sources. The spring comes out of a rock. Trees and lush vegetation give shade in the
area around the spring.

Tugbo Watershed Forest Reserve

Location: Mobo, Masbate

Total Area Covered: 247 hectares
Proclamation Date: 5/02/1994
Proclamation No.: 369

More than 100 hectares of the 246 hectare Tugbo Watershed Forest Reserve is in
Barangay Tugbo in Masbate City. Among the other barangays within the Forest Reserve
is Barangay Tugbo (same name) in the Municipality of Mobo and Barangay Holjogon also
in the Municipality of Mobo.
References:

Matang Tubig Spring. (2010). Retrieved from https://greedypeg.org/masbate/Matang-

Tubig-Spring.html

Catanduanes Watershed Forest Reserve. (2013). Retrieved from

https://experiencecatanduanes.blogspot.com/2009/03/catanduanes-watershed-forest-
reserve.html

BICOL-MAN. (2011). Retrieved from https://saminovic.wordpress.com/the-bicol-

region/environmental-management/

Quinali A Watershed. (2015). Retrieved from

https://forestry.denr.gov.ph/b+wiser/index.php/sites/qaw

LIST OF PRIORITY WATERSHEDS : 2013. (2013). Retrieved from

http://enrsis.denr.gov.ph/uploads/Priority_Watersheds_2013.pdf