AN ESTIMATED P20,000 per day and P600,000 per month will be collected if the Cagayan de Oro City Council will approve the proposed Payment for Environmental Services (PES) fee which entails an additional 25-centavo per cubic meter in our water bill for each households.
The ordinance also imposes a 50 centavos per cubic meter charge for commercial and industry sector. The funds will be used to protect six watershed areas in the city, particularly in Iponan, Alae, Agusan, Gusa, Cugman, and Bigaan and also help rehabilitate watersheds in Bukidnon.
This proposed ordinance, which is now under deliberation, was first proposed by the Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council since 2013, Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya said. But up until now, no action has been done.
Under the ordinance, 30 percent of the collection will go to watershed conservation, protection, and restoration while another 30 percent will be poured for the creation of open spaces and community parks.
About 15 percent is allocated for livelihood programs and communication and education plan and another 10 percent is allocated for administrative and logistical costs.
Hilly Ann Roa-Quiaoit of the Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council said, the rehabilitation should be done immediately to prevent the same scenario in Cebu City where water has been depleted and salt water already intruded into the water table.
Quiaoit said physical indicators of depletion include fall in static water level and fall in pumping water level. She noted that these signs are monitored in barangay Macasandig where groundwater has depleted for about 3 feet a year, Bugo at 1 foot per year, and Calaanan at 7-14 feet per year.
Although barangay officials who attended the public hearing on Tuesday welcomed the initiative, they were however concerned that another basic commodity will increase.
City Councilor Edna Dahino was one of the councilors who opposed the proposal, suggesting that all other possible solutions should be exhausted first before deciding to pass on the burden to consumers first.
Dahino said other private entities who are particularly on the water business should shoulder the burden, and not the people.
"Daghan paman siguro pwede makuhaan nga source para ani nga programa, dili lang unta ma-pass ang burden sa katawhan," she added.
Councilor Nacaya, the proponent of the proposal meanwhile assured the public that they are looking other source of the project, including getting it from the general fund.
Another public hearing will be set to discuss further the proposed resolution and consider recommendations from different groups and organizations.