Negros Occidental is moving toward a landmark collaboration with top Dutch water institutions to boost its local capacity and implement advanced solutions for water security and sustainability.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz recently met with Dr. Eddy Moors, Director of the Institute for Water Education (IHE Delft) in the Netherlands, to explore opportunities for addressing the province’s water challenges, a post on the Negros Occidental Facebook page said.
The meeting has paved the way for future cooperation, including the immediate plan to send provincial and water district personnel to the Netherlands. There, they will study advanced technical solutions and management strategies related to water security, Diaz said.
Diaz also met with representatives from Deltares, the Netherlands’ leading infrastructure and water think tank.
Deltares is renowned for operating advanced IT and water laboratories capable of simulating real-world scenarios, from small-scale models up to a 1:1 ratio.
This partnership is expected to grant the province access to crucial open-source GIS data, simulation tools, and other programs needed to develop effective strategies for flood control and water resource management, the Facebook post said.
Moors commended Negros Occidental’s current water security initiatives, noting that the province has “done well considering the degree of difficulty of solving water issues”, it said.
The collaboration strongly aligns with the Provincial Government’s commitment to build in-house technical capacity, specifically through the formation of its own GIS, programming, and app development teams, Diaz said.
Dutch experts praised this initiative, recognizing the province’s commitment to innovation and self-sufficiency in tackling its water challenges, the Facebook post said..
Moors expressed optimism that if the partnership and local initiatives succeed, Negros Occidental could serve as a model for other regions confronting complex water challenges.
The Dutch institutions, IHE Delft and Deltares, were introduced to the provincial government by . Hans van Duijne, a Water Resources senior expert from the PUM Netherlands Senior Experts organization and a retired Deltares expert, who advised Bacolod City on urban water management in 2024.*