The first female director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 2 was named as the CES Cost-Effective Officer (CEO) for her outstanding contributions to promoting environmental responsibility in the mining industry.

 

The Career Executive Service Board (CESB) conferred the prestigious recognition to Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan during the 2023 CES Lifelong Learning for Leadership Congress (CESCON) held at the Manila Hotel in the City of Manila.

 

According to the CES Board, the Outstanding CEO award aims to give credit to the strategic leadership qualities of the CES officers and third-level eligibles whose decisions or actions create a desired level of performance that leads to the maximum utilization of resources, resulting in increased agency savings.

 

During her first year in Region 2, Director Bambalan advocated for a transformative and more sustainable approach to the Seedling Replacement Scheme for the trees that were removed by the mining companies in their operations.

 

In 2020, she initiated a partnership with mining firms for the development and maintenance of forest plantations and agroforestry areas in the region in support of the National Greening Program (NGP).

“Instead of merely replacing the trees cut with either 50 seedlings for every planted tree or 100 seedlings for naturally growing trees that will be removed, I requested the mining companies during my first year in Region 2 to instead develop and maintain forest plantations that will be planted with indigenous species and/or agroforestry areas in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino,” Director Bambalan said.

 

Through a Memoranda of Agreement with FCF Minerals Corporation and OceanaGold Philippines, these companies provided funds for the development of NGP areas for three years starting in 2021. The partnership resulted in the establishment of 645 hectares of forest and agroforestry plantations. It also provided livelihood opportunities to local communities.

 

The collaboration also led to the establishment of an arboretum at the Ecological Park and Training Center in the province of Nueva Vizcaya in 2021.

 

Under the partnership agreement signed in July 2021, the FCF Minerals Corporation pledged an annual budget of P300,000 for five years starting in 2021. The company also committed to provide annual financial support for the maintenance, protection, and research undertakings at the arboretum.

 

The three-hectare arboretum now showcases different indigenous and dipterocarp species that are already vulnerable and threatened. Aside from being a source of quality planting materials, the arboretum serves as an ecotourism site and educational laboratory.

 

"We are confident that with these initiatives, we are creating more impacts in our regreening efforts and ensuring accountability and transparency in our program implementation,” the Cagayan Valley environment chief said.#