The Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) expressed confidence that Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will be able to obtain the help of the other regions in preserving and protecting the environment.

“We in the regional development council have been asking the Department of Energy to increase our share from the hydropower plants so that we have more to use for environment and forest protection effort,” Jose Dado, officer-in-charge of DEPDev-CAR, said in a press conference at the launch of the Cordillera Month celebration Tuesday.

Dado said such request needs a congressional action and conferment as the nation’s wealth tax allocation is provided for by a law that needs to be revisited or amended.

Earlier, several sectors in the region supported clamors for other regions near Cordillera to contribute in financing more forest protection initiatives, like hiring of additional forest rangers and forest guards and the implementation of more tree planting and caring initiatives.

Irrigation water from the lowland regions and provinces are also sourced from the forests of the Cordillera.

“We continue to advocate watershed protection so that many, not just the region, will enjoy the water,” Dado said.

The DEPDev official also mentioned of a mechanism on revenues from hydropower production, like percentage in the sale of electricity.

Meanwhile, Baguio City Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan said situs of taxation can help address the issue of share if companies using water as business will pay their taxes in the Cordillera.

“If these companies will pay taxes locally, we can earn billions,” he said.

The province of Apayao, located in the northernmost part of the Cordillera, has declared its forest as an international biosphere reserve, one of the only four in the country, to protect the last forest frontier of the Cordillera.

The others are in Oriental Mindoro’s Puerto Galera, Palawan and Albay. (PNA)