Cebu Protected Landscape needs funds for projects

Neda-7 Director Efren Carreon (second from left) and DENR-7 officer-in-charge Emma Melana (second from right) listen to stakeholders of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) during their meeting at the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

THE Central Cebu Protected Landscape-Protected Area Management Board (CCPL-PAMB) has asked the National Economic and Development

Authority in Central Visayas (Neda-7) and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) to lobby to the national government for the release of funds for CCPL.

The board members of CCPL-PAMB said that their current budget is not enough to cover the CCPL projects for the whole province.

During a meeting yesterday, the board members said that their biggest problem in implementing projects and programs is the lack of budget.

The board members added that they need the money to inform and educate the Cebuanos on the importance of CCPL and how to protect the watersheds in Cebu.

According to Emma Melana, officer-in-charge of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7), that they only have less than P500,000 budget for CCPL.

Aside from asking funds from the national government, Melana said they are also planning to charge Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) P1 for every cubic meter of water they get from dams in the province.

However, she said that a case is still pending at the Office of Solicitor General regarding this matter.