Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources S Cordillera Administrative Region & DENR Compound, Gibraltar Road, Baguio City — Tel No. (074)-442-4531 —— — Mobile No:0998-589-5974; 0925-71 1-8445; 0917-855-5953 ‘Website: https:/car.denr.gov.ph E-mail address: car@denr.gov.ph HAR 79 200) Director ARACELI A. SAN JOSE Regional Director a0) C Lo ates D DILG-CAR Engineer’s Hill, Baguio City Dear Director San Jose, Environmental Greetings! This is in relation to the created Apayao-Abulug River Basin Management Couneil which shall serve as coordinating institution basin-wide in the implementation of plans and programs identified in the Integrated River Basin Management and Development Master Plan for the Apayao-Abulug River Basin. The Council will have powers to: a) evaluate development programs and projects and set priorities; b) seek external funding ~ national and foreign, and; c) monitor/evaluate the implementation of projects by national and local governments, and by NGOs, basin-wide. ‘As a background, the Management Council chaired by the Governor of Apayao was created on April 16, 2016 through a Memorandum of Cooperation by the concerned stakeholders of Regions CAR and 2 while the said Master plan was approved and endorsed by Regional Development Council on March 27, 2018 through RDC-CAR Resolution No. 28 s 2018. On March 7, 2023, Honorable Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang called a meeting to discuss the implementation status of the Integrated River Basin Management and Development Master Plan for the Apayao-Abulug River Basin. During the meeting, she tasked the DENR-CAR to coordinate with the Committees under the Apayao-Abulug River Basin Management Council to convene and conduct strategic planning for CY 2024 proposed programs and projects within the Apayao-Abulug River Basin (AARB). The objective of the activity is for the different partners and stakeholders to shift from working in silos and promote partnership and actual convergence and complementation in the implementation of programs necessary to resolve and/or minimize the prevailing social, economic, and environmental issues. Based on the ARB Organizational Structure, your Office leads the CCA-DRR Management Committee. In this regard, may we invite your authorized representative/s for strategic watershed management planning identifying CY 2024 proposed programs and projects on March 30-31, 2023 at Luna, Apayao. This will be presented during the Apayao-Abulug River Basin Management Council in April 2023. The proposed programs and projects will also be submitted to Honorable Eleanor C. Bulut- Begtang for possible funding. Thus, during the strategic planning workshop, kindly bring with you your proposed projects for CY 2024 within Apayao-Abulug River Basin. Kindly fill out the attached confirmation slip and send it to rbco.denrear@gmail.com. For the exact venue of the activity, please contact Ms. Verniza Balusdan at 0910-2006-105. You may access at this link https://tinyurl.com/bdhdp2z8 the documents regarding AARB for your reference. We are looking forward to working with you for a strengthened partnership and convergence towards a sustainable Apayao-Abulug River Basin. ‘Thank you. Very truly yours, ENGR. RALPH C. PABLO, EnP, DPA, CESO IIL Regional Executive Director f+