DENR-CAR News Volume 5, Issue No. 2

Volume 5 Issue No. 2

February 2019

DENR-CAR revives Class C rivers See full story on page 2

Reviving major river systems in CAR. Various stakeholders converge for a massive cleanup drive along the stretch of the Bued River from Baguio City to Tuba, Benguet on February 8. (Photo by: Dominador Martin)

DENR-CAR to look into the tree population of Baguio The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR is tasked to conduct an inventory of the remaining trees in the pine city of Baguio.

Following the instructions of DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu during his recent visit in Baguio City, the DENR-CAR is currently conducting a census of the tree population, and is in search for the oldest living pine tree in the city.

The tree inventory is conducted through mapping of open and closed

canopy forests and transect plot inventory.

DENR-CAR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo is also hoping the office could produce data on the population of trees per age group.

Pablo had instructed the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Benguet and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Baguio to look for the oldest and largest living

pine tree.

To ask the help of the public, PENRO Benguet has launched the search for the oldest and largest living pine tree.

The search encourages the public to locate and document aged and gigantic pine trees within their areas which could possibly pass as the oldest and largest in Baguio City.

PENRO Benguet, while pursuing their own efforts, will evaluate the entries in Tree population, 8

2 News

Class C rivers

Volume 5, Issue No. 2 l February 2019

Continued from page 1

People should be catching fishes from rivers. Sadly, we collect garbage.

This is the reality for two major waterbodies in the Cordillera, the Bued and Lamut Rivers, which are among the rivers subject for rehabilitation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – CAR. In a bid to revitalize the two rivers, the DENR-CAR consecutively conducted cleanup drives, in partnership with various stakeholders.

Bued River in Benguet On February 8, some 6,250 kilograms of solid wastes was collected in a massive cleanup drive. Most of these are plastic bottles, bags, clothes and diapers.

Over 442 participants from the DENR-CAR, partner government agencies, private institutions, the academe and volunteers teamed up in cleaning the Bued river that stretches from Camp 8 to Camp 3 in Tuba, Benguet.

Environmental Management Bureau-CAR Regional Director Ma. Victoria Abrera emphasized the need to keep the river clean since it is a

heritage. “It passes along Kennon Road (Baguio City to Tuba, Benguet) to Sison, Pangasinan” she said, noting that whatever is done or thrown in the upstream will affect the water flowing downstream.

Bued River is part of the Lower Agno Watershed Forest Reserve which supplies water for various use.

Waste disposal malpractices were seen as contributors to millions of escherichia coli, a bacteria causing illnesses such as diarrhea, present in the river. Some of these malpractices observed are direct discharge of wastewater from residential areas, and piggeries; disposal of biodegradables, residuals and special wastes in the river including those from construction activities; dumping of soil in waterways; and open burning and dumping of mixed wastes in the river side.

DENR-CAR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo called the different host local government units (LGUs) and other stakeholders to continue measures and interventions in the rehabilitation of the river. He also enjoined LGU officials to help in enforcing Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. Most importantly, Pablo asked the

Volume 5, Issue No. 2 l February 2019 participants to the cleanup drive to help the DENR-CAR in spreading the importance of having a clean river in communities and how discipline in solid waste management contributes to attaining such. (By: Shalom Joy Mauting)

News 3

Lamut River In Ifugao, a total of 1,322.35 kilograms of aggregate solid wastes were collected from the 26-kilometer stretch of the Lamut River last February 12.

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Ifugao conducted the cleanup drive at the Lamut River and its 11 tributaries dubbed as “Ifugao synchronic move for the Lamut River�.

Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo said during the brief kick-off program that the conduct of massive cleanup drive is not only to show that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is committed to restoring water bodies but to show people that something needs to be done and it can only be made possible through the cooperation of all stakeholders.

According to Dir. Pablo, the cleanup drive is just the first of many actions needed to be done to save the Lamut River. He called on the Barangay Local Government Unit officials to help the DENR in kindling behavioral change especially when it comes to solid waste management.

Following the scheme used at the cleanup drive at Bued River in Baguio City and Tuba, Benguet, 519 participants were divided into 10 composite teams and deployed to different tributaries of the Lamut River.

There were three stations in Barangay Nayon; three at Payawan; two at Poblacion East; two at Poblacion West; one at Bimpal; one at Panopdopan; and one at Lawig.

Various stakeholders from Lamut, Ifugao participated in the massive cleanup drive led by PENRO Ifugao and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Lamut. Among these were representatives from the Municipal Government of Lamut; the Philippine Army; the Philippine National Police; the Bureau of Fire Protection; Barangay Local Government Unit officials of the subject barangays; and residents.

To forge pact with the stakeholders, tutionalize it through a Memorandum The collected wastes from the different tributaries were gathered by a dialogue was conducted on March 8 of Agreement. to solicit their commitments and insti(By: GIovani Joy Fontanilla) the LGU of Ifugao for proper disposal.

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Volume 5, Issue No. 2 l February 2019

Abrenians clean up Malamsit watershed

As the world celebrates the World Wetlands Day, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Abra and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Bangued, in partnership with the Barangay Local Government Unit of Malamsit, Peñarrubia, conducted a cleanup drive and a solid waste management lecture at the Malamsit creek and watershed on February 1, 2019.

The on-the-job and immersion students of PENRO Abra and members of the Abra Youth for the Environment were present during the activity.

Malamsit creek and watershed provide potable water to the residents of neighboring towns which they use for irrigation and other agricultural activities. However, tourism has caused improper solid waste disposal in the area.

Forester Shirley T. Leaño, Bangued CENR Officer, briefed the participants about the World Wetlands Day celebration and proper segregation of wastes to be collected. The participants started cleaning up the polluted part of the creek with an estimate length of 300 meters.

The activity, attended by 160 participants, resulted to the collection of roughly 95 kilos of plastic bottles, cups, cigarette butts and other non-biodegrables. Barangay Chief Executive Darwin Galera assured to uphold environmental security in the wetland and committed to put up signages for educational Malamsit watershed, 8

BLGU officials told: Revisit green ordinances

Barangay Local Government Unit officials of Puguin and Mabiga in Conner, Apayao were told to revisit their environment-related ordinances and look into enacting new ones to ensure a clean, healthy and disasterresilient community in their areas of jurisdiction.

This was advised during an information, education and communication campaign conducted by the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office Conner in celebration of the World Wetlands Day. The

activity, which carried the theme, “We are not Powerless Against Climate Change – Stop Draining our Wetlands” was held recently. It was participated by barangay officials, farmers and community elders.

During the activity, Senior Ecosystems Management Specialist Eulalia Napigue highlighted that we are not powerless against climate change so long as wetlands are protected.

Although wetland systems are among those significantly affected by climate change, they are also among the

weapons which could be used to combat the global problem. This, as they take carbon quickly and hold it for a long time. If not protected, they could release huge amounts of greenhouses into the atmosphere.

Napigue noted that even simple things done to save water resources could have a huge impact.

In closing, Napigue encouraged the barangay officials to push for more programs, projects, activities and policies which aim to protect water resources and wetland ecosystems.

(By: Rey Kelly Buerano)

News 5

Volume 5, Issue No. 2 l February 2019

DENR-CAR, CEPMO to conduct joint inspection before emergency tree cutting permit issuance The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR and the City Environment Parks and Management Office of Baguio City, from now on, will conduct joint inspection before emergency tree cutting permits are issued by the Office of the City Mayor.

This is one of the agreements made during a recent multi-stakeholder meeting wherein one of the agenda was the limitations in the power of the local chief executives to issue tree cutting permits.

Based on the Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of the Philippines, local chief executives were delegated authority to issue emergency tree cutting permits in times of calami-

ties for trees posing damage to properties and lives.

To make sure the authority of the City Government to issue tree cutting permits is not misemployed, it has been agreed that a joint inspection shall be conducted by the CEPMO and the DENR-CAR, through its Community Environment and Natural Resources Office Baguio to ensure trees being applied for permits are dead and perilious.

The CEPMO, however, remains the office responsible in endorsing approval of applications for emergency tree cutting permits to the Office of the City Mayor.

“Parang naabuso yung pag-issue

Civilian volunteers informed on environmental responsiveness

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR extended its support to the ongoing Basic Military Training (BMT) initiated by the 14th Cordillera Administrative Region Regional Community Defense Group (CAR-RCDG) through a lecture on environmental awareness last February 15 held at the Athletic Bowl, Baguio City.

Some 120 civilian volunteers from the region underwent an environmental awareness training as part of their integration to the Army Reserve Command.

The pool of lecturers from the DENR-CAR Regional Office, Environ-

mental Management Bureau-CAR and Mines and Geosciences Bureau-CAR underscored the cooperation between the environmental arm of the government and the Department of National Defense (DND), in the operationalization of Philippine Agenda 21 that seeks to advance the sustainable management of the Earth’s natural resources.

The reservists are usually deployed during search, rescue and retrieval operations after the occurrence of natural calamities. This provides the rationale for the aspiring civilian volunteers to undergo such lectures, according to LTC Alfie Q. Ferrer, OperaCivilian volunteers, 8

DENR-CAR chief preaches resiliency in leadership

Leaders are more than mere managers of office resources. They, too, are builders of positive relationships within the organization. Above all, they are visionaries, steering the workplace to transcend itself and making excellence the norm of accomplishing targets.

Engr. Ralph C. Pablo, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR Regional Executive Director (RED) emphasized these key points during the second batch of coaching and mentoring session for middle managers of the DENR-CAR held in Baguio City on February 19, 2018.

Pablo told the participants that as leaders in their respective offices, they

must be well-equipped to motivate others, especially their staff, to perform, create and innovate. This assures the office to become what he claimed to be “Team Advantage,” an office environment characterized by synergy, interdependence and enormous trust among all employees.

“Let yourselves be so charismatic that your mere presence influences your associates to work willingly and enthusiastically to meet our common objectives,” he demanded them.

The DENR-CAR chief acknowledged that self-mastery remains the foundation of a sound leadership. Hence, he underscored the significance of Leadership, 8

ng tree-cutting permit. Ang saklaw lang sana ng mayor ay yung maaaring mag-cause ng danger to lives and properties,” DENR-CAR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo said.

The issue was also brought up after a Facebook video which shows personnel from the CEPMO cutting trees along Legarda Road had gone viral. It was verified that a permit has been issued by the Office of the City Mayor for the cutting of 10 trees. Of which, eight are alive.

Pablo told CEPMO representative Villamor Bacullo that the CEPMO should also monitor if trees cut are being replaced in accordance with the conditionalities of the emergency tree permit issued.

(By: Giovani Joy Fontanilla)

EDITORIAL BOARD AND STAFF Engr. Ralph C. Pablo, DPA, En.P. Regional Executive Director For. Augusto D. Lagon ARD for Technical Services Atty. Cleo D. Sabado-Andrada ARD for Management Services Editor-in-Chief: Perlita T. Nerja Managing Editor and Layout Artist: Giovani Joy N. Fontanilla Photographer: Ferdinand H. Corpuz Roldan E. Caroy Staff Writers: Gayle S. Astudillo Alaska J. Turaray Shalom Joy E. Mauting Contributors: Designated Information Officers from PENROs and CENROs

6 News

Young Abrenians enjoined to become eco-ambassadors

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Abra called on the young Abrenian to become eco-ambassadors who will work with the office to attain its vision to have a sustainable and clean environment.

Fifty students from different schools in Abra attended a lecture on environment and natural resources programs at the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Bangued Conference Hall. They were educated about environmental protection to prepare them in their mission to become eco-ambassadors.

Bangued CENR Officer Forester Shirley T. LeaĂąo told the students to be more sensitive on environmental matters. She encouraged them to make their homes and schools more environmental-friendly by adopting eco-friendly practices such as recycling of different materials, tree planting and conducting clean-up drives.

To equip the participants with more knowledge about the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the work that it does, Human Resources Management Officer Ianne April P. Bello discussed the vision, mission, the mandate and the sustainable development goals of the Department.

Rex B. Ballacillo, Ecosystems

Management Specialist II, followed with a lecture on protected area management and biodiversity conservation. He emphasized the importance of sustaining a rich biodiversity and properly managing protected areas, key biodiversity areas, and critical habitats, and how to do such.

For the students to further relate to the topic, they were asked about Casamata Hill being a protected area, and some endemic and endangered flora and fauna.

CENRO Bangued designated Youth Desk Officer Kevin Haji F. Aguinaldo, concluded the activity through a lecture about climate change accompanied by an audio-visual presentation on its causes and effects.

He encouraged the students to put into heart and mind all the lessons they have learned from lecture and to enforce them at home and in their community.

Aguinaldo stressed that the youth play a role in the management of the environment. He believes that educating and engaging them in environmental protection not only create direct impact on changing youth behaviors and attitudes, but also possible influence to their parents, relatives and their community.

(By: Kevin Haji Aguinaldo)

Volume 5, Issue No. 2 l February 2019

DENR partners with DepEd for planting of native trees The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is partnering with the Department of Education (DepEd) for a project to promote planting of native trees in public schools nationwide.

DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas Leones said the School in a Garden Project or SIGA aims to teach children about the importance of trees and forests, and help them become an environmentally-conscious generation. “We hope that through the SIGA program, we are able to instill in the young minds how significant forests are to their lives, so that the heritage of environmental conservation continues,� Leones said.

Leones said the DENR and DepEd will soon sign a memorandum of agreement to formalize their partnership.

The SIGA program is a revival of a past DepEd project that enabled students to plant medium-sized flowering trees similar to the concept of cherry blossoms in Japan. It aims to showcase trees that are endemic to the Philippines, such as banaba and fire trees, which are colorful and flowering all-year round.

Native trees, 8

Honing eco-warriors. Youth in Abra are educated about environmental protection in preparation for their mission as eco-ambassador partners of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (Photos by: Kevin Haji Alejandro)

News 7 DENR issues guidelines to increase private sector participation in gov’t reforestation program

Volume 5, Issue No. 2 l February 2019

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued new guidelines aimed at increasing private sector participation in the government’s Enhanced National Greening Program (ENGP).

ENGP is the government’s flagship reforestation initiative under Executive Order (EO) 193 issued in 2015.

It seeks to cover the remaining 7.1 million hectares of open, degraded and denuded forests in the country from 2016 to 2028.

DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu recently signed DENR Administrative Order (DAO) 2019-03, which revises the implementing rules and regulations for EO 193 to encourage more private sector players to participate in the program.

The DAO specifies three modes by which the private sector may participate in the ENGP’s implementation in the remaining three years of the Duterte administration.

Under the new guidelines, the private sector may enter into a privatepublic partnership scheme through establishments of new ENGP plantations, maintenance and protection of existing plantations, and protection of existing forests outside ENGP areas.

Those in the private sector may enter into an agreement with beneficiaries of the Community-Based Forestry Management (CBFM) program (depending on the purpose of establishment) in accordance with DENR Memorandum Circular 1998-08.

For untenured areas, private entities may develop the area under the ENGP through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) entered with the DENR. The duration of contracts with DENR partner organizations was lengthened to five years from the original three years. This is to ensure high survival rates of trees planted in the previous years and increase the benefits of ENGP partners.

The ENGP is the extension of the National Greening Program, which was created by virtue of EO 26 and implemented from 2011 to 2016. During its six-year implementation, the program posted an accomplishment of 1.3 billion seedlings planted in 1.7 million hectares.

The first NGP also generated over four million jobs, benefitting around 558,000 individuals, through partnership with various people’s organizations (POs), particularly under the DENR’s CBFM program.

The Duterte administration, meanwhile, targets to reforest some 1.2 million hectares from 2017 to 2022 in accordance with the Philippine Development Plan.

From 2017 to 2018, ENGP covered areas reached 335,185 hectares, which were planted with some 299.2 million seedlings and generated a total of 715,118 jobs, benefitting some 112,166 individuals.

For long term development, the private sector may invest in either establishment of new plantation and/or maintenance and protection of existing NGP plantations through appropriate management arrangement.

With appropriate technical assistance from the DENR, the private sector may invest in protecting existing forests aside from NGP areas through a MOA with the DENR. Another innovation in the ENGP guidelines is a new mode of engagement called Reforestation by Administration (RA), which involves hiring of individuals not belonging to any POs, but have access to areas where there are no working POs. The RA scheme is to be implemented in proclaimed areas and critical

Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu has urged governors from climate-vulnerable provinces to fully implement a government program that would help protect communities from climate-induced disasters and spare future generations from the worst impacts of climate change.

“Climate change is already here, and it will be here for the next generations.

It is now, therefore, our obligation to take this program for implementation, so that the next generations will have a guide,” Cimatu said, warning that the next generation may suffer a greater and bigger effect of climate change.

Cimatu made the appeal during the planning and convergence budgeting on the Risk Resiliency Program (RRP) for the eight priority climate vulnerable provinces held recently at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Office in Quezon City.

The eight provinces are Masbate, Sorsogon, Negros Oriental, Samar, Sarangani, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands. These provinces are vulnerable on their high susceptibility to climate hazards such as flooding, rainfall-induced landslide, storm surge and drought.

The DENR chief, who chairs the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCAM-DRR), told governors that the decisions they make today will have lasting consequences for future generations.

The RRP will be the template of the younger generations to achieve what we intend to do, what the national government intends to do with this program,” Cimatu said.

The RRP is a convergence program of the Cabinet Cluster on CCAM-DRR. It envisions strengthening the resilience of natural systems and the adaptive

capacities of vulnerable groups and communities to curb future risks and disasters.

Aside from Cimatu and the governors of eight priority climate-vulnerable provinces, the meeting was attended by representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the National Economic Development Authority, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

“We need to increase our efforts in resiliency and strongly urge renewed cooperation from key national government agencies with our concerned provincial governments. It should be a collective undertaking, and in doing so, we can create great solutions together,” Cimatu said, noting that mainstreaming climate change and disaster resilience concerns is “a crucial task for everyone.”

Private sector, 8

Cimatu: Full implementation of gov’t resilience program needed

Resilience program, 8

8 News Tree population

Continued from page 1

the search.

“We would like to mark the oldest and largest pine tree, not only for the public to know but for these trees to serve as a reminder that the Benguet pine trees, which Baguio City is known for, should be protected”, Pablo said.

In addition to the tree inventory and identification of the oldest and largest pine tree, the Watershed and Water Resources Research Center has been tasked to conduct a literature review and/or study on the lifespan of Benguet pine.

The results of the data gathering are expected to be made known next month. (By: Giovani Joy Fontanilla) Malamsit watershed

Continued from page 4

purposes and additional trash bins for proper disposal of wastes.

(By: Kevin Haji Aguinaldo) Civilian volunteers

Continued from page 5

tions/Training Officer of CAR-RCDG. The topics covered during the orientation seminar include the DENR mandates, environmental laws, the current state of the environment, solid waste management, small-scale mining operations and safety, and DENR environmental rehabilitation and maintenance operations.

(By: Alaska Turaray) Leadership

Continued from page 5

maintaining personal and social competence. The former being the ability to manage one’s tendencies and behavior, and the latter as understanding others motives and moods to improve the quality of relationships.

In leading the participating leaders to the appreciation of the Enneagram Personality Typing System and a review of their Resiliency Quotient, Pablo cautioned them of the diversity that exists among individuals.

“We are as different as we are many and so to avoid stress and ensure success, be conscious not to force people to be like you,” he noted.

The Regional Executive Director also shared that sustaining a good measure personal and social competence could be tough. External, as well as, internal challenges could overwhelm a leader but these should serve as instruments to sharpen their leadership capabilities.

He emphasized that resiliency is key if success is desired.

“Work on your strength first and

Volume 5, Issue No. 2 l February 2019

your weakness last,” he encouraged his lines as “very balanced,” noting it was deputies. (By: Alaska Turaray) crafted after getting all the inputs of all the stakeholders—from the industry to Native trees Continued from page 6 the civil society, environmental NGOs, These colorful trees, according to local government units and indigenous DepEd Undersecretary Alain Pascua, peoples.

The new guidelines, he added, will be planted not only within school campuses, but also in neighboring promote planting indigenous species, especially within protected and waterareas.

Also, to be planted in school premises shed areas, as well as high-value crops are heritage trees, which are typically and fast-growing trees in production individual large trees with unique value forests.

“We will also enhance production and considered irreplaceable because of their designation such as age, rarity forest—part of the forest set aside as timber sources for our local wood requireand size, and historical value.

During a recent meeting for the ments,” Tamayo said. (DENR CO release) project, the DENR agreed to provide planting materials, training and technical Resilience programContinued from page 7 expertise to the DepEd to ensure the At the meeting, provincial goversuccess of the undertaking. nors presented the current situation of “DENR can provide the saplings.

We can also involve the Ecosystems climate vulnerabilities in their respecResearch and Development Bureau to tive jurisdictions.

The meeting was intended to discuss include native species. Our timeline for these convergence activities should be the climate vulnerabilities in the priority done as quickly as possible,” Leones provinces, and reinforce government thrust for a more prudent and targeted said. (DENR CO release) spending by fostering collaboration Private sector among agencies in planning, budgeting Continued from page 7 watersheds not covered by any tenurial and implementing priority resilience programs and projects in the said instrument.

DENR-Forest Management Bureau provinces.

Also discussed during the meeting Director Nonito Tamayo said the new guidelines were an offshoot of Cimatu’s was the CCAM-DRR Roadmap for order for an audit of all ENGP sites that 2018 to 2022, which serves as “an required ground validation to deter- important guide for the implementing mine which areas needed replanting agencies in the programs and projects and closer maintenance and protection to mainstream climate change and efforts. disaster risk reduction in a vision to “The Reforestation by Administration, for example is seen to address build adaptive and resilient communithe gap in many reforestation schemes ties.”

The roadmap also aims to establish that seedlings die within the immediate climate-resilient communities and their period because they were planted enhancement in the 17 climate vulnerin areas where there are no organized stakeholders engaged,” Tamayo able provinces, and major urban centers explained. such as Metro Manila, Cebu, Iloilo and He called the new ENGP guide- Davao. (DENR CO release)

Disaster-prepared DENR-CAR. DENR-CAR employees participate in the first quarter national earthquake and fire drill facilitated by the Office of the Civil Defense-CAR on February 21. (Photo by: Shalom Joy Mauting)