Cagayan de Oro Riverbasin Management Council (CDORBMC) is a multi-sectoral group of concerned individuals, agencies and institutions who dedicate themselves in protecting, preserving, rehabilitating and managing of the Cagayan de Oro riverbasin.
Mission
To oversee and catalyze multi-stakeholders for the protection, preservation, rehabilitation and management of the CDO river basin.
Vision
A rehabilitated, sustainably protected and preserved, and well-managed CDO river basin in 2020.
Brief History
Cagayan de Oro Riverbasin Management Council (CDORBMC) is a multi-stakeholder group of Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), private sectors, religious groups, People’s Organization/Indigenous People (PO/IP), Security and Academes that converge together to protect, preserve, rehabilitate and manage the watersheds, rivers, and forests of the Cagayan de Oro riverbasin. The CDORBMC seeks to improve the quality of life of the stakeholders by upholding and implementing appropriate interventions to enhance better utilization of natural resources and to boost biodiversity along the watersheds and the rivers. It also encourages all other stakeholders to become part of the formulation of management plans and strategies for the riverbasin.
The CDORBMC was created in November 16, 2010 during the “Multi-Stakeholders Meeting and Workshop” held at Philtown Hotel. The said activity was spearheaded by the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro (ACDO) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Different stakeholders participated and signed the “Co-Management Agreement” among the members. There were eight (8) sectors that represent CDORBMC: NGA, LGU, NGO, Business, PO/IP, Religious group, Security group and Academe. The roles and responsibilities of each of the aforementioned sectors were stipulated on the agreement which was later revised and improved by the Xavier University – Center for Legal Assistance (XU-CLA) in 2013.
During its early start, CDORBMC was chaired by ACDO and DENR with DENR at the same time acting as the ad hoc secretariat for the council. ACDO and XU were also part of the secretariat through Myrna Siose and Fr. Mars Tan, S.J., respectively. Later on, as the council continues its advocacies, Xavier University - Research and Social Outreach (XU-RSO) with the help of the Ecosystem Alliance – International Union for Conservation of Nature (EA-IUCN) volunteered to preside as the council’s official secretariat in November of 2011 to further strengthen the operation and management of the CDORBMC through facilitation of meetings, consolidation of council documents and coordination with other member agencies/groups.
Since XU volunteered as secretariat, the CDORBMC has undergone several improvements especially on its organizational structure. As of now, the council has the Board of Stakeholders (BoS) as the “policy-making body” and the Executive Committee (ExeCom) which is the “implementing body”. The BoS is composed of different agencies and institutions that represent all the other sectors within the council. These were either nominated or were invited and/or endorsed by the Chairs. On the other hand, members of the ExeCom are the Chairs of the council (ACDO, DENR and DILG), Chairs of each Technical Working Group (TWG) and the mayors of the four (4) major LGUs/City within the riverbasin: Libona, Baungon, Talakag and Cagayan de Oro City. Please refer to Diagram 1 and 2 below for changes in CDORBMC’s organizational structure. Currently, the council has this set up and is continuesly moving to formulate its masterplan for the rehabilitation, protection and management of CDO riverbasin.