BBuhisan Watershed - Quenching The Thirst of Cebuanos

Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve (BWFR) is a dam located in Buhisan, Cebu City, Philippines. It is one of the main source of water for Cebu City and Metro Cebu. Part of Central Cebu Protected Landscape, Buhisan Dam is situated in the mountains of Barangay  Buhisan behind Labangon Cebu. Built in 1911-1912 and maintained by the Metro Cebu Water District, it is being developed into an eco--tourism location. It supplies five percent of Metropolitan Cebu Water District's (MCWD) current water capacity.

 

​The Buhisan Watershed provides the water to quench the thirst of the residents of the Queen City of the South. Located within the mountainous area of central Cebu, the Buhisan Watershed is a part of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape, a protected area located in the drainage basins and mountains of central Cebu. The protected area also includes the Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park, Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve and the Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve.

The Buhisan Watershed was established during the American period when then Speaker of the Philippine Assembly Sergio Osmeña, Sr. proposed building the Buhisan dam to provide a supply of potable water to Cebu City following a cholera outbreak and devastating fire in the city. The proposed project was supported by American Governor-General William Cameron Forbes, who issued an executive order to designate an area in Labangon to establish the reservoir and watershed.

The Buhisan Watershed is home to a number of endemic birds, including the Black Sharma and Rufous-lored Kingfisher.  In 1992, ornithologists rediscovered the Cebu flowerpecker, which was thought to be extinct. Hundreds of plant species can also be found at the watershed. It is one of the last places in Cebu where first-generation trees remain standing. 

Aside from providing Cebuanos a good supply of potable water, the Buhisan Watershed also houses a delicate ecosystem that can be easily destroyed. Due to this, it is essential for the local authorities to ensure it remains protected from unscrupulous individuals out to make a quick buck. The local community can also help by ensuring no illegal activities are done in the area.

The population of Cebu City has grown significantly over the past few years with the increasing number of business process outsourcing companies in the Queen City of the South. In fact the 2015 census shows that the population of the city is over 900,000. This makes it even more important for Cebuanos to make sure the Buhisan Watershed is protected to ensure the city continues to have an adequate supply of potable water in the years to come.