NEDA BOARD APPROVES ENVIRONMENT AND DRR-RELATED PROJECTS

The NEDA Board approved on Thursday  environment and disaster risk reduction (DRR)-related projects worth PhP11.9 billion. These are the Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management Program (INREMP) of DENR and the Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Measures in Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay Project of the DPWH and DepEd. These projects intend to promote ecological integrity to mitigate the impacts of environmental factors.

The PhP7.24-billion INREMP uses the Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) approach which will be implemented within the priority watersheds of four critical river basins: Chico River Basin, Bukidnon River Basin, Wahig-Inabanga River Basin and Lake Lanao Watershed. The program will be financed through the following: (a) Asian Development Bank (ADB) – PhP4.7 billion loan; (b) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – PhP940 million loan; (c) Climate Change Fund (CCF) – PhP66.27 million grant; (d) Global Environment Facility (GEF) – PhP117.55 grant; (e) National Government – PhP726.62 million; (f) Local Government Units (LGUs) – PhP351.56 million; and (g) Support from Beneficiaries in kind worth PhP342.20 million.

“The program aims to improve livelihoods in as well as increase revenues of local governments of 83 municipalities and cities in nine provinces in Regions CAR, 7, 10 and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Board Vice Chairperson Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr. said. He added that the program also addresses the food security, biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation and mitigation goals of the National Greening Program (NGP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Meanwhile, the PhP4.66-billion DRR/CCA project has two major components: establishment of flood control measures and rehabilitation of school buildings. The project aims to address the flooding problem in the low-lying municipalities in Pampanga delta. It also aims to eliminate school site flooding through the reconstruction of 232 class rooms in 47 flood-affected, benefiting about 35,057 pupils. The project is proposed to be financed through a PhP3.9-billion ODA loan from the Korea Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and PhP755.33-million counterpart funding from the Philippine Government. 

Paderanga said this project aims to reduce the flood level from 1.42 to 2.99 meters and the number of flood-affected areas from 40,150 hectares to 23,780 hectares in the low-lying areas of Pampanga Bay.

The NEDA Board is the governing body that sets major development policy directions for the Philippines while the NEDA Secretariat serves as its research and technical support arm. President Benigno S. Aquino III is chair of the Board while Paderanga serves as Vice Chair. The NEDA Board members are: the Secretaries of Agriculture, Budget and Management, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, Public Works and Highways, Science and Technology, Tourism, Trade and Industry, Transportation and Communications, and Presidential Management Staff; the Deputy Governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; the Chairpersons of  Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, Metro Manila Development Authority, and Mindanao Development Authority; the Governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM); and the President of Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP).

MR No. 2012-025
(Embargo in place until 9:00am Monday, March 26, 2012)