City, DENR to ink MOA on infra project at Balubal

THE 18th City Council during its 84th regular session yesterday presided over by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy enacted an ordinance authorizing the City Mayor to enter into and sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MAO) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 10, covering the implementation of Rural Infrastructure Subproject-Proposed Development of Barangay Balubal, from Purok 1 to Sitio Laguilay Access Road.

Pursuant to Executive Order 192, the DENR is the primary government agency mandated to conserve and manage the country’s environment and natural resources, while under Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991”, the city government is mandated to share the responsibility with the national and regional governments in the protection and management of natural resources within their respective territorial jurisdictions.

As provided under the MOA, the DENR shall assist the city government in the planning and preparation of proposal, and implementation of the rural infrastructure subprojects including but not limited to technical assistance and capacity building on procurement, construction supervision, financial management and operation and maintenance.

Moreover, it shall also ensure that the rural infrastructure subprojects are implemented in compliance with the technical standards and applicable laws and regulations in accordance with the subproject proposal of the city as approved for financing by the Provincial/Watershed Management Council (WMC), among others.

Meanwhile for its part, the city government shall prepare and submit short list of possible rural infrastructure projects to WMC for endorsement, implement the rural infrastructure subprojects, including but not limited to, procurement, construction supervision and financial management, in accordance to the approved detailed engineering design and subproject proposal. Furthermore, it shall also prepare and submit physical accomplishment/progress reports, financial reports and other pertinent documents to DENR as prerequisites of fund release for the subsequent endorsement to the Municipal Development Fund Office (MDFO) of the Department of Finance. It shall, likewise ensure the availability of 20% cash equity/local counterpart funds as the city’s share for the approved rural infrastructure subprojects, among others.

The legislation was reviewed and endorsed by the committees on public works, during its meeting presided over by Councilor Jay R. Pascual and on laws and rules chaired by Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya. (JAO)