Abatan River is very near to Tagbilaran City, the major sea and air entry points of tourists. It is a shallow river, which is rich in biodiversity blessed with spectasular sceneries and traverses the Municipalities of Cortes, Maribojoc, Antiquera, Balilihan and Catigbian.

In the early1999 initial conversation efforts within the Abatan Watershed, particularly along the Abatan River was undertaken by PROCESS - Bohol, a social development, non-government organization operating in the province of Bohol. A convergence of 6 municipalities was facilitated that led to the formation of the Abatan Technical Working Group (TWG), which is multisectoral in composition and tasked to heighten the environmental consciousness among the people living in the watershed and the local government units. The TWG was able to engage with the local govermnet units (LGUs) making them aware of their primary responsibility in protecting the environment.