By Danessa Rivera (The
Philippine Star) | Updated March 12, 2017 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines -
State-run National Power Corp. (Napocor) is spending P431 million this
year to support the rehabilitation and management of watershed areas under its
jurisdiction.
The amount will be taken from the
environmental fund under the universal charge (UC), which was approved by the
Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Under the Electric Power Industry
Reform Act (EPIRA), Napocor is allowed to avail from the EC-environmental
fund—which is intended solely for watershed rehabilitation and management—as
long as it seeks approval from the power regulator.
The state-run firm will use the
availment for its “Plan 14” for the greening of watershed areas.
Plan 14 covers the San Roque (Lower
Agno) watershed, the Pantabangan and Magat watersheds, where the state-run firm
has a sharing scheme with the National Irrigation Administration, and Lake
Lanao-Agus River and Pulangi watershed area.
It also covers Upper Agno Watershed
Reservation, Angat Watershed Reservation, Caliraya-Lumot Watershed Reservation,
Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal Reservations, Buhi-Barat Watershed and Tiwi
Geothermal Reservation.
Under the plan, Napocor will
rehabilitate 3,059 hectares with vegetative measures, implement reduction of
sedimentation and soil erosion, increase biodiversity of flora and fauna
through conservation and ecotourism programs, among others.
The UC is a component in electricity
bills to reduce the financial obligations of Napocor. It consists of
stranded contract cost, missionary charge and the environmental fund.
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