Bugang River

Bugang River is a river situated in the northwest of Panay island in the Philippines. It is located in town of Pandan, Antique which is noted for its distinction as the "Cleanest Inland Body of Water" in the country.[1]

Bugang River
Bugang River mouth Bugang River (Philippines)
Native name	Suba kang Bugang
Location
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas
Province	Antique
Municipality	Pandan
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park
• elevation	573 m (1,880 ft)
Mouth
• location	Pandan Bay, Mag-aba
• coordinates	11°44′24″N 122°03′50″E
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	10.3 km (6.4 mi)
Basin size	27.5 km^2 (10.6 sq mi)
Basin features
Bridges	Bugang Bridge

Topography

Bugang River entirely traverses Pandan town of Antique province. It has a length of 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) Its headspring is 30 meters (98 ft) deep.[1] The river originates from around the area of the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park[2] From upstream to Pandan Bay where it converges, Bugang flows through the barangays of Candari, Santo Rosario, Guia, Zaldivar and Mag-aba.

During the summer season, water levels of the river temporarily decreases.[1]

Fauna

38 species of fish belonging to 30 genera and 20 families were recorded in a November 2013 to March 2014 survey of Bugang River. Eleotridae is the most dominant family with six species while Gobiidae is the second most dominant with four species.

Tourism

The river serves as a primary tourist destination of the town of Pandan, Antique. Tourists can swim on the river's Malumpati health spring or traverse the river on bamboo rafts. The Bugang Community-Based Eco-Tourism Organization organizes treks to the river's headspring.[1]

Environmental conservation

Efforts to keep the river clean despite exploiting it for tourism has received recognition in both the national and international level. The river received a Hall of Fame award as part of the national government's Cleanest Inland Body of Water competition.[1]

The United Kingdom-based The Green Organization recognized the Bugang Community-Based Eco-Tourism Organization (BCBTO) at the Green Environment Apple Awards in 2006 for their campaign to preserve the river. The BCBTO conducts information drives regarding the river's preservation as well as monthly cleanups of the river. The organization also campaigned for the prohibition of maintaining pigpens along the riverside and swimming at the river's headspring.[1]

The 16th Congress of the Philippine Senate commended the local government and community of Pandan in a September 2014 resolution for their conservation efforts which made the river the "Cleanest Inland Body of Water" in the country and cited their case a successful model for community-based ecotourism.[3]

References

1. Burgos, Nestor P. Jr. (1 June 2014). "Bugang is gov't's Hall of Fame awardee for cleanest river". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Inquirer Visayas. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
2. "Media river tour in famous Bugang River up". Eagle News. Philippine Information Agency - Region 6. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
3. "Resolution No. 59" (PDF). 16th Congress of the Senate of the Philippines. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2017.