IN THE LUSH hills above Calbayog City lies a treasure that is both unseen and indispensable: the Pan-as–Hayiban watershed. Here, amid thick forests and meandering streams, the city’s lifeblood flows quietly — fresh, clean water that sustains more than 200,000 residents. For generations, Calbayognons have relied on this watershed, not just as a resource but as a living system that shapes their lives, livelihoods, and future.

But this sanctuary is now at the heart of a growing battle. A proposed wind farm project seeks to install turbines within the watershed, a move that has stirred deep concern among local communities, environmentalists, and advocates for sustainable development.

One of the most vocal voices in this fight is Ricky Bautista, a long-time environmental advocate, journalist, and current President of the SAMOC or Samar Mountaineering and Outdoor Club, Inc. an affiliate to Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc., an umbrella organization to nearly 300 mountain clubs in PH. Bautista also serves as Vice President for Visayas of the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines (MFPI), a role that has given him a front-row seat to the challenges of balancing development with environmental stewardship.

“We support renewable energy,” Bautista emphasizes, “but not at the cost of our water and forests. Once our watershed is damaged, there’s no turning back.”

GREEN POWER DILEMMA

Across the Philippines, the shift to renewable energy is gathering momentum. From solar farms in Ilocos to wind turbines in Guimaras, clean energy is seen as a key to reducing carbon emissions and curbing the impacts of climate change. On paper, the proposed wind farm in Calbayog fits this vision — an investment in green power for a better tomorrow.

But for Bautista and the members of the Save Calbayog Rivers Foundation – A Concerted Effort (SACRIFICE), led by Ms. Eleen Lim, the project’s location is the dealbreaker. The Pan-as–Hayiban watershed is not just another stretch of land; it is a protected area, legally designated to safeguard its ecological functions.

Constructing heavy infrastructure here could trigger soil erosion, siltation of waterways, and degradation of forest cover. These environmental disturbances, while sometimes overlooked in development proposals, can have cascading effects. Silted rivers lose their capacity to carry water efficiently, leading to flooding in low-lying areas. Forest loss can disrupt biodiversity, diminish natural filtration of water, and destabilize slopes—raising the risk of landslides.

Most crucially, the watershed’s natural capacity to supply clean drinking water could be irreversibly compromised.

WATER–LIFE CONNECTION

A watershed is an area of land where all rainfall and streams drain into a single body of water—like a river, lake, or reservoir. In Calbayog, the Pan-as–Hayiban watershed is the main source of clean drinking water for the entire city.

Water security is often taken for granted until it is threatened. In Calbayog, every glass of water, every shower, every rice field irrigation trace their source back to the watershed.

“Importante an tubig inumon ha kinabuhi naton, dinhi nakadepende an kabubwason han Calbayognons,” Bautista wrote on social media. Water is essential to our lives, and our future depends on it.

He warns that once the source is contaminated or diminished, the city could face shortages that no amount of money or technology could easily fix. Alternative sources — such as deep wells or water importation — are costly, less sustainable, and potentially inadequate for the city’s growing needs.

PEOPLE’S STAND

This is why Bautista and SACRIFICE have taken their stand public. They are calling for the project to be relocated outside the watershed boundaries, where its renewable energy benefits could still be realized without endangering Calbayog’s water supply.

The group also urges government agencies, from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to the Department of Energy (DOE), to ensure a transparent review process that meaningfully involves local communities. Too often, large-scale projects move forward without the informed consent of those most affected — a gap that Bautista and his allies are determined to close.

Their fight is not anti-development; rather, it is a push for responsible development. As Bautista explains, “We are not against wind energy. We are against putting it where it will destroy what we cannot replace.”

LESSONS FROM ELSEWHERE

The Calbayog case is not unique. Across the world, renewable energy projects have occasionally clashed with local environmental priorities. In the United States, for example, wind farms have sparked debates over bird migration patterns and visual landscapes. In India, solar farms have sometimes been built on prime agricultural land, displacing farmers.

The lesson, environmental planners say, is clear: site selection matters. Renewable energy is not automatically “green” if it undermines other critical resources or ecosystems.

For the Pan-as–Hayiban watershed, this principle takes on urgent significance. It is not simply a matter of aesthetics or convenience; it is about safeguarding the single most important resource for human survival.

THE PATH FORWARD

The call from Bautista and fellow advocates is not one of defiance but of partnership. They are asking developers and government agencies to work with local stakeholders to find an alternative site that meets both energy and environmental needs.

They are also pushing for stronger protections for watersheds nationwide, noting that climate change is already placing stress on water systems through erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and increased demand. Protecting these natural reservoirs is, in many ways, the first line of defense against future water crises.

“Protecting our water,” Bautista says, “is protecting our future.”

COMMUNITY’S CHOICE

As the debate over Calbayog’s wind farm continues, one truth remains constant: the decision will shape the lives of thousands, not for years, but for generations. Once a watershed is altered, the changes are permanent. The people of Calbayog now face a choice between immediate energy gains and the enduring security of their water supply.

For Bautista and those standing with him, the choice is clear. Renewable energy can and must be pursued—but not at the expense of the very resources that make life possible.

And so, in the shaded hills where rivers begin and clean water flows, the people of Calbayog stand guard. For them, this is more than an environmental issue; it is a matter of life itself.

No to wind turbines inside our watershed. Yes to protecting our future.