By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has classified 35 more rivers, bays, and lakes for their best uses, bringing to 824 the total number of duly classified water bodies nationwide. Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu (DENR / MANILA BULLETIN) The additional list of classified water bodies was contained in a memorandum circular issued by DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, pursuant to Administrative Order 2016-08 or the Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016. Under the Republic Act (RA) 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, DENR is mandated to categorize water bodies—whether freshwater or coastal—according to their quality, area, purpose, and vulnerability to pollution. Cimatu said the classification helps water managers and planners to develop proper water quality management programs and provide the standards to protect aquatic life and human use of their specific water bodies. “With these classifications, we are able to determine the programs and activities to implement so that we can optimize the use of our water resources and make them beneficial to our welfare and health,” he said. Under the circular, nine rivers in Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) were classified as Class “B” and “C.” These are Batu, Binuangan, Buayan, Catituan, Lambuyong, Logpond, Lutiman, Suloan and Sinusayan rivers. Class “B” refers to recreational water intended for primary contact recreation such as bathing and swimming, while Class “C” pertains to fishery water for propagation and growth of fish and other aquatic resources. Four rivers in Mimaropa (Region 4B) were classified either as Class “C” or “SC,” which pertains to fishery water for propagation and growth of fish and other aquatic resources and intended for commercial and sustenance fishing. Classified as “SC” waters are Sabang River in Sabayan, Occidental Mindoro; and Bangon, Gabawan and Bongoy rivers in Romblon. Meanwhile, portions of Guimaras and Iloilo straits in Western Visayas (Region 6) were declared as Class “SB” or fishery water suitable for commercial propagation of shellfish and intended as spawning areas for milkfish and similar species. Bicol Region’s (Region 5) Masbate Bay and Mobo Bay, both in the province of Masbate, were classified as Class “SC” and “SB,” respectively. Region 13’s (Caraga) Mamkas River in Agusan del Norte was categorized as Class “A” or one intended as water supply source requiring conventional treatments like coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. Also classified as Class “A” were Muleta and Aloran rivers in Northern Mindanao (Region 10) and Alibunan River in Iloilo. The Camgat-Surong and Dinauyan rivers in Cagayan Valley (Region 2) were classified as Class “C” and “B,” respectively. Both the Balaong and Madlum rivers in Central Luzon (Region 3) were categorized as Class “B” or recreational water intended for primary contact recreation. Portions of Muleta and Aloran rivers in Northern Mindanao were classified either as “A”, “B”, and “C.” Batangas’ Lobo and Pamintahan-Tubig ng Bayan-Sala rivers were classified as Class “B” and “C”, respectively. Cebu’s Bojo River, the lone water body classified in Central Visayas (Region 7), was categorized as “Class B.” In Davao Region (Region 11), Mayo River and Mayo Bay were classified as “B” and “SB,” respectively. Three rivers in Soccsksargen (Region 12)—Glan, Malapatan and Sapu Masla—were classified as “B”, “C”, and “C,” respectively.