Manila: The Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is conducting environmental accounting in the Cordillera region to determine the economic value of its natural resources and help guide future development planning. DENR Assistant Secretary for Integrated Management and Information System Daniel Darius Nicer emphasized the importance of scientific studies on the region's environment to provide a clearer basis for policies on conservation, resource management, and sustainable development.
According to Philippines News Agency, Nicer discussed Republic Act 11995, known as the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting (PENCA) Act, which mandates the DENR to conduct an audit of the country's natural resources. The data gathered through this accounting process will assist in determining the value that should be placed on ecosystems and the necessary measures to sustain and protect them.
Using water resources as an example, Nicer explained that while consumers pay for water distribution, they do not pay for the natural resource itself. "Part of the accounting is to see how much that water costs and return that cost to the environment so that there will be continued supply of water," he stated. The study will also explore whether the environment limits or supports economic growth in the Cordillera, given its role as a major watershed for northern Luzon.
DENR Regional Executive Director Paquito Moreno, during a presentation at the same event, highlighted that the Cordillera hosts nine priority critical watersheds supporting national irrigation systems and three major river basins-the Apayao-Abulug, Abra, and Agno river basins. The Agno River Basin supplies water reaching Pangasinan in Region 1 and parts of Tarlac in Region 3.
Moreno also noted the region's environmental conservation practices, including Apayao's 'Lapat' system, recognized as part of the province's inscription as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2024. He emphasized that the region's forest protection efforts help secure water supply, support power generation, and benefit areas beyond the Cordillera.
