World Wetlands Day 2017

Every 2nd of February each year is World Wetlands Day (WWD). This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The celebration aims to raise public awareness on the importance and value of wetlands.

The Philippine government adopted its local celebration in 1999 with Presidential Proclamation No. 74, “Declaring February 2 of each year as National Wetlands Day.” The said event coincides with the worldwide celebration of the WWD.

“Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction” has been adopted as this year’s celebration theme to highlight the role of wetlands as a natural safeguard against disasters. The theme emanated from Ramsar Resolution XII.13 Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction which the Philippines authored.

The DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) as focal agency for implementing the Ramsar Convention in the country, will take the lead in the Philippine celebration of the 2017 WWD. In celebration of the WWD, BMB and the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands (SCPW) partnered in a series of activities including:

Launching of the Atlas of Philippine Inland Wetlands and Classified Caves and SCPW’s Youth Eco-camp Module; Ramsar Roundtable Discussion on Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction and Youth Eco-camp in Talisay, Batangas WWD’s Youth Eco-camp is in coordination with DENR Region 4A, PENRO Batangas, Taal Volcano Protected Landscape Office, LGU Talisay and DepEd Talisay District Office.

Thirty (30) student-leaders and five (5) teachers from the five (5) schools in Talisay namely: San Guillermo Academy, Talisay Polytechnic Institute, Talisay High School, Balas Buco Sta. Maria National High School and Talisay School of Agriculture will participate in the said Eco-camp on February 13-15, 2017.

Moreover, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in partnership with Star Alliance Biosphere Connection (SABC) is organizing a Wetland Youth Photo Contest from February 2, 2017 to March 2, 2017. Participants aged 18-25 years old can join the contest.

Photo entries must depict a picture of any type of wetland that helps us cope with extreme weather events and must be uploaded to www.worldwetlandsday.org on or before March 2, 2017 for a chance to win a free flight courtesy of SABC and visit a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site).