THE Davao del Norte Provincial Board’s ways and means committee, chaired by Board Member Alfredo de Veyra III, has come up with a “win-win solution” to have the Ecosystem Service Charge (ESC), a new revenue-seeking program, approved by sand-and-gravel operators on Wednesday.
The executive department of the provincial government, through its environment office, earlier sought a P100-ESC, per cubic measure, but this was assailed as excessive by sand-and-gravel permitees.
During the public hearing conducted by de Veyra’s committee, Dr. Condrafranca Fuentes, president of North Davao Permitees and Quarry Association, said the measure could effectively force them to close down operations.
She said it is unfair they are being charged ESC, while Davao del Norte is surrounded by provinces not charging ESC.
She asked that the committee reduce the rate to P15 per cubic as suggested by association members.
There are around 70 sand-and-gravel permitees in the province.
OIC Provincial Environment Officer Romulo Tagalog said the proposed ESC of P100 per cubic is a “catch up price” for the 20 years that the operators have been extracting sand and gravel at the expense of the environment.
He said the ESC should be implemented on a “graduated scale”, adding the system has precedents in the provinces of Pampanga and Bukidnon.
Negotiations on recess followed, participated in by committee members Ernesto Evangelista, lawyer Joey Millan and FABC provincial representative Mike Niez.
The parties, especially the sand- and-gravel permitees, agreed for an ESC of P25 per cu for the first three years, P30 per cu on the fourth year with reevaluation and P50 per cu on the fifth year.
Tagalog said at the approved P25 ESC, the province can have additional earnings of P15 million per year during the first three years of implementation.