DENR, Prime Infra sign agreement on water security, watershed monitoring

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Prime Infrastructure Inc. (Prime Infra) have teamed up on a watershed monitoring initiative to strengthen the country’s water security and climate resilience.

Prime Infra, led by businessman Enrique Razon, has donated over P6.2 million to the DENR’s Watershed Instrumentation Program, which aims to collect science-based data for watershed management.

DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Prime Infra president Guillaume Lucci formalized the partnership on Monday at the DENR Central Office.

Lotilla said the agreement would “enhance the conservation and sustainable management of our natural resources by establishing strong partnerships with organizations that share a high level of commitment to environmental protection.”

“Let today’s signing be a living commitment that inspires other sectors to follow suit,” he said.

The program will install instruments to generate real-time data on watershed conditions, which is crucial for designing interventions such as disaster risk reduction strategies and community preparedness plans.

Under the agreement, the DENR will use the donation to procure sensors, instruments and other necessary equipment.

Lucci said the donation was an “investment in transparency, in proactive resource management, and the overall health of our watershed.”

“This will not only benefit the Upper Marikina River Watershed, where it’s one of our project locations, but it will also allow us to contribute meaningfully to the broader environmental goals of the country,” Lucci said.

An automated weather station will be installed in the Upper Marikina River Watershed to measure key environmental parameters, including air temperature, rainfall and wind speed.

The data will be used to develop early warning systems for floods and landslides, helping communities and local governments prepare for extreme weather events.