THE House committee on natural resources has approved a bill seeking to protect the Upper Agno River Basin.
House Bill 8262, which was approved on November 14, is entitled “An act declaring the Upper Agno River basin protected landscape (UARBPL) in the municipalities of Bokod and Kabayan and some portions of the municipalities of Atok, Buguias, Itogon, La Tirinidad, and Tublay all in the province of Benguet portions of Bauko, Mt. Province portions of Tinoc, Ifugao and Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya as a protected area under the category of protected landscapes providing for its management and for other purposes.”
It was filed by Benguet Representative Ronald Cosalan.
Cosalan said the bill, known as Upper Agno River Basin Protected Landscapes Act of 2018, will protect the area.
All lands of the public domain comprising the UARBPL shall fall under the classification of protected landscapes as provided for in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
The Protected Area Management Board will serve as the highest policy making body of the UARBPL.
Upper Agno River Basin is one of the fifth largest river basin in the Philippines with a land area of 623,318.69 hectares.
Based on data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Cordillera regional office, the river basin covers Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera regions.
In the Cordillera region, Benguet province covers 119,399.08 hectares, Ifugao with 1,735.65 hectares, and Mountain Province with 402.32 hectares.