National Power Corporation (NPC) Officer-in-Charge Usec. Donato D. Marcos on Tuesday signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation (PTFCF)
for a collaboration on the conservation and sustainable management of some watershed reservations in the country.
Signing on behalf of PTFCF is its Executive Director Atty. Jose Andres A. Canivel and Board Chair Ms. Mary Edwina D. Garchitorena.
“The MOU will document the collaboration of NPC and PTFCF in the formulation, preparation, and implementation of programs, plans, and projects in Lake-Lanao Agus River Watershed in Lanao del Sur, Pulangui Watershed in Bukidnon, and Angat Watershed in Bulacan,” Usec. Donato D. Marcos said.
NPC said that they will also be exchanging knowledge, experience, and other resources that will help each other implement more efficient and effective services and programs.
“This partnership with NPC illuminates our way forward as we are now looking at [enhancing and maintaining] ecosystem services that the forests provide. We are not only looking at conservation per se but for the services that it provides for the people such as water and electricity,” said Ms. Garchitorena as she also introduced the goals and advocacies of PTFCF.
PTFCF is a non-profit organization that provides grants and technical assistance to projects that conserve forests and forest lands. The organization focuses on four outcomes in pursuit of its mission – grow forests on the enhancement of ecosystems that provide products and services, grow livelihood in communities, grow partnerships between and among civil society, government, and communities, and grow advocates to further propel the protection and conservation of Philippine forests.
NPC’s watershed management mandate on the other hand is decreed by Republic Act 6395 s. 1973 or the Revised Charter of NPC, Executive Order 224, s. 1987, and Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. NPC manages eleven (11) watershed reservations in the country through rehabilitation, protection, and resource development programs.
Source: National Power Corporation