CEBU, Philippines - Nearly P6.2 million of Resource Users Fee (RUF) in 24 protected areas in Central Visayas was collected by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region VII during the first quarter this year.
Cebu, which accounts for about six protected areas, yielded the highest collection of P4,095,406.33 or 66.27 percent as indicated in the data from the Protected Area, Wildlife, Coastal Zone and Management Services (PAWCZMS) as of March 31.
Negros Oriental, with two protected areas, came in second with P1,866,890.00 or 30.21 percent and Bohol, with the most number of protected areas, pulled together an amount of P217,360.00 or 3.52 percent.
DENR-7 Spokesperson Ed Llamedo said that in Cebu, Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS) registered a collection of P3,549,756.00; Central Cebu Protected Landscape with P183,662.33; Guadalupe Mabugnao-Mainit Hot Spring National Park with P12,870.00; Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary with P179,290.00; Bantayan Island Wilderness Area with P53,100.00 and Camotes Islands Mangrove, Swamp, and Forest Reserve with P116,628.00.
Dr. Isabelo Montejo, the DENR-7 Regional Executive Director, said in a statement that the RUF will be pooled as an integrated protected area fund (IPAF) as a strategy for sustainable financing mechanism in a protected area. He added that 75 percent of the fund can be accessed purposely to finance projects within such areas.
Montejo stressed that through the IPAF, the region’s protected areas would no longer be depending totally on the government anymore because the protected areas will have their own funds to use for their operations.
He further explained that revenues or fees generated shall go to the Integrated Protected Area Fund (IPAF) which will be managed by the IPAF governing board and the concerned Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).
The revenue generated, according to Montejo, shall be disbursed solely for the protection, maintenance, administration and management of National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS), and duly approved projects endorsed by the PAMBs, in the amounts authorized by the DENR.
Protected areas refer to identified portions of land and water set aside by reason of their unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological significance to enhance biological diversity and protected against their destructive human exploitation, Llamedo said. —MIT (FREEMAN)