1. 22nd WEPA Annual Meeting and International Workshop
2. Stakeholder consultation meeting of WEPA Action Program in the Philippines
3. World Water Forum in Riyad, Saudi Arabia
4. Asia Wastewater Management Partnership (AWaP)
5. Water Environment in the Philippines:
Philippines Champions Inclusive Water
Governance and Coastal Protection at the 2026 Water Summit |
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1. 22nd WEPA Annual Meeting and International
Workshop |
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The Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ), and the WEPA Secretariat
will organize the 22nd WEPA Annual Meeting and International Workshop on 26 and 27 January 2027 in Manila, Philippines, followed by a field visit on 28 January.
These events will be held in person, with online participation options made available simultaneously.
The annual meeting will focus on sharing practical knowledge and scientific insights on policy adaptation and revision in water environmental governance.
As countries respond to changing environmental conditions, advances in scientific knowledge, and evolving societal needs, they continue to review and revise
their water environmental policies. Since each country has its own unique policy framework and institutional context, exchanging information and experiences
on policy revision can provide valuable insights for future policymaking. Building on the partnership’s long-standing discussions on water environmental governance
through previous annual meetings and the WEPA Outlook, this year’s meeting will place particular emphasis on the backgrounds, processes, and lessons learned
from policy revision to meet environmental goals.
The agenda and further details of the meeting will be announced in due course.
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2. Stakeholder consultation meeting of WEPA Action
Program in the Philippines |
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The Multilateral WEPA Action Program, which aims to improve water quality in coastal areas, was implemented in FY2025. Since then,
the Secretariat has worked closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) of the Philippines.
In January 2026, MOEJ and the Secretariat organized a knowledge-sharing session with support from the International EMECS Center
(please refer
the WEPA News 48th issue).
On February 27 and 28 2026, a stakeholder consultation meeting and site visit was held in Batangas City, Philippines,
drawing about 29 participants from various stakeholder groups, including national and local government agencies, fisherfolk, local communities,
and WEPA experts. During the meeting, the WEPA Secretariat provided a recap of the January knowledge-sharing session. Participants discussed
the environmental issues observed in the area as well as potential solutions. Additionally, Dr. Vicente Tuddao, Jr. shared lessons learned from
the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) approach in Manila Bay, while the DENR-EMB Central Office provided a snapshot of the regional wastewater portfolio
and facilitated the discussions.
The following day, participants visited a power generation plant in Batangas to learn about private-sector environmental conservation efforts,
such as local water quality monitoring and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. The group then visited a fishing community in Barangay Sta. Clara
to observe the environmental challenges faced by the community and listen to the perspective of the local fishing industry. It is hoped that through this action program,
participants gained a better understanding of local industrial pollutant loads and community water quality needs, ultimately developing the necessary strategies to conserve
the water environment in the Batangas area.
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3. World Water Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
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The WEPA Secretariat has been actively contributing to preparations for the 11th World Water Forum, to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in March 2027,
through its role in Thematic Process 5E, “Knowledge sharing and capacity building: Advancing open data, peer learning, capacity building, and lifelong
training opportunities.” As a Working Group member, WEPA is helping to shape the concept note and tentative session topics under Thematic Process 5E.
Following the 2nd Stakeholder Consultation Meeting in Jeddah (28-29 June 2026) and subsequent inputs, the WEPA Secretariat supported the streamlining
of Topic 5E and reflected into the design of three tentative topic sessions to improve coherence across Theme 5 and clarify expected deliverables. The proposed
topic sessions now prioritize strengthening the science–policy interface, advancing sustainable financing and context‑adaptive professional training, and promoting
international collaboration on open knowledge platforms.
Details and updates on the various sessions are available on
the Knowledge Hub page of the official World Water Forum website.
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4. Asia Wastewater Management Partnership (AWaP) |
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The Asia Wastewater Management Partnership (AWaP) is a partnership initiated in 2018 by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT),
in collaboration with MOEJ, to raise awareness on wastewater management, promote monitoring of wastewater management, and support partner countries in addressing common challenges.
WEPA has been collaborating with AWaP, as both initiatives share common objectives in promoting water resource conservation through governance and wastewater management.
The 6th Operations Committee of AWaP was organized by MLIT and MOEJ and held in Tokyo, Japan, on 5 August 2026, with representatives from Bangladesh,
Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam in attendance.
Following an overview of AWaP activities by the AWaP Secretariat, partner countries discussed policy approaches for mainstreaming wastewater management and finance,
centralized and decentralized wastewater treatment systems, achievements of partner countries, and the upcoming schedule for AWaP. Discussions also covered financial support for
the operation and maintenance (O&M) of sewerage systems, national support for efficient sewerage management by local governments, and sludge management.
As many AWaP partner countries are also WEPA partner countries, WEPA will continue cooperating closely with AWaP to promote effective wastewater management
and support progress towards sustainable water management in the region.
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5. Water Environment in the Philippines:
Philippines Champions Inclusive Water Governance
and Coastal Protection at the 2026 Water Summit |
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The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Philippines successfully hosted the Water Summit 2026 from 22 to 25 March 2026,
with key events held at the Seda Vertis North Hotel in Quezon City. The summit concurrently celebrated Philippine Water Week (22–28 March 2026)
and Women’s Month (March 2026). It brought together EMB Regional Offices, national and local government representatives, tourism partners,
and key stakeholders to strengthen the management of the country's recreational water bodies.
Operating under the theme, “From Water Equity to Water Quality: Advancing Gender-Responsive and Science-Based Water Management,”
the Summit prioritized reinforcing science-driven water quality management whilst championing inclusive governance.
The program aimed to integrate gender-responsive approaches into governance, monitoring, risk communication,
and project implementation through technical knowledge exchange and the recognition of local initiatives.
A central component of the Summit was the Technical Session titled “Mainstreaming Gender in Water Quality Science, Policy, and Decision-Making.”
The session featured policy updates, water quality monitoring tools, and gender-responsive planning strategies,
highlighting case studies and best practices from Local Government Units (LGUs), Water Quality Management Areas (WQMAs), and partner agencies.
The event culminated in the conferment of the Recreational Aqua Management Merit of Excellence. This award encourages LGUs and EMB Regional Offices
to demonstrate the effective management of recreational water bodies in strict accordance with EMB Memorandum Circular 2015-06. This circular serves
as the Philippines' primary policy governing water quality standards for recreational areas (such as Class SB coastal waters designated for swimming,
bathing, and other body-contact activities). It establishes rigorous water quality assessment protocols and mandates strict compliance with safety
thresholds—such as fecal coliform limits—to ensure coastal and inland waters remain safe for public use and meet national environmental standards.
During the summit, several sites were highly commended for their adherence to this circular. Notably, the beaches of Sta. Ana, Cagayan, and Tinago Falls
in Northern Mindanao were among the top recipients honored for their outstanding compliance, sustained pollution control measures, and notable improvements in water quality.
The Water Summit 2026 concluded with a resolute call to safeguard recreational waters as a shared, science-driven, and gender-responsive commitment.
By celebrating best practices and strengthening technical linkages, the Philippines' EMB initiatives stand as a valuable model for protecting public health,
supporting sustainable tourism, and restoring vital aquatic ecosystems across the country.
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Call for your contribution to WEPA News! (Please send us any updated information) |
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We are seeking a cooperative agenda with partners. To ensure smooth progress, we welcome information on any new developments on water
environmental governance in your country. If you have any related information, please send it to the WEPA Secretariat by email
< WEPA_secretariat@iges.or.jp >.
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