Director

virtue of the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 to protect the country’s water resources. Under this mandate, the DENR through the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) shall formulate and implement actions leading to a balance between human activities and the ability of the natural ecosystems to sustain life. To meet this mandate, the EMB formulated a water quality management program, which aims to provide information that will build knowledge necessary to efficiently manage our water resources; enhance our understanding on the effects of water pollution on public health, ecosystem, and economic development; and prevent or minimize environmental risks in the future. This publication on the Region 3 Water Quality Status Report aims to inform the public on the conditions of the water bodies in the region. It hopes to draw the public’s support and involvement to protect the water bodies as economic development is sustained. I commend the efforts of EMB Region 3 and our partner institutions and agencies in the region, especially the members of the Technical Working Group who have collectively worked to put together this Report. Keep up the good work and congratulations