Siniloan, Laguna – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) CALABARZON proudly announces the ceremonial handover of checks from the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to the Protected Area Management Board of Presidential Proclamation No. 1636 (PAMB-PP1636) last January 23, 2024, following the guidelines set in the Special Use Agreement in Protected Areas (SAPA) issued on November 23, 2023.

MWSS, having diligently fulfilled all requisite criteria, has now met its financial obligations. This includes a one-time development fee, including an annual fee. Notably, the annual fee is subject to a cumulative 10% increase annually.

The approved SAPA is dedicated to the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project (NCWS-KDP), a strategic initiative addressing water source redundancy and augmenting supply to meet growing demands. The project benefits include an additional water supply of 600 million liters per day (600MLD), improvement of the economic condition of host communities, development of ancestral domains of Indigenous Peoples/Indigenous Cultural Communities (IPs/ICC), and protection and/or conservation of the watershed ecosystem. The SAPA ensures a delicate equilibrium between environmental preservation and strategic development, in strict adherence to the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018 (ENIPAS Law).

The one-time development fee and annual fee payments will be channeled directly to the Integrated Protected Area Fund (IPAF) of the PAMB-PP1636. IPAF is established as a trust fund to finance the projects and sustain the operation of protected areas and the System, thus, the IPAF generated from the said project will play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, enforcement and surveillance, community involvement, ecotourism development, research and monitoring, climate change resilience, watershed management, and capacity building. By aligning the IPAF initiative with the specific characteristics and needs of areas covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 1636, the Philippines can ensure the comprehensive and sustainable protection of these vital landscapes.

Key figures present during the ceremonial turnover include DENR CALABARZON Regional Executive Director and PAMB Chair Nilo B. Tamoria; OIC-PENRO Quezon, Engr. Cyril A. Coliflores; CENRO Real, Quezon, Atty. Liezl E. De Mesa; Head, Support Service Group Project Management Office from Engineering and Technical Operations Group, MWSS, Engr. Delfin U. Sespeñe; Deputy Project Manager for Social and Environmental Concerns, NCWS-KDP, Mr. Jonathan R. Lamug; Focal Person for SAPA Compliance Community Relations Specialist, PMO, For. Francis Villamil; and 44 PAMB-PP1636 members composed of various stakeholders of the unnamed protected area. ###