THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines-Los Baños forged a partnership agreement with the provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya to develop and pilot a payment for ecosystem services mechanism aimed at improving water supply in the Barobbob watershed.

Dubbed “Research for Development: Payment for Ecosystem Services Outcome for Sustainable Water Provision in Barobbob Watershed, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines,” the project was funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development.

Governor Carlos Padilla said the research project was significant as he emphasized the need to safeguard watersheds.

Padilla said that the province could be an exemplar for establishing a payment policy for water ecosystem services.

“Experience from this pilot project will serve as one of the bases for crafting a national protocol towards the institutionalization of payment for water ecosystem services to help finance sustainable watershed management in the Philippines,” UPLB said.

Under the agreement, UPLB and the provincial government will coordinate and contribute resources and expertise to implement the project.

The provincial government will provide focal persons for the technical working group and assist in implementing the various project activities.

“Whatever results of this project will serve as a reference for the province in terms of policy direction and development in the future,” Engr. Edgardo Sabado, coordinator for the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Planning and Development, said.

Dr. Juan Pulhin, project leader of R4D: PESO SWaP, expressed hope that the lessons from the project will be applied in other watersheds in the region.