With the aim to bring environmental services closer to the people, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Cagayan Valley recently held a series of caravan cum people’s day in four provinces in the region.

 

The event conducted on June 6-8 and 23, this year in the provinces of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and Cagayan respectively, is part of the Philippine Environment Month celebration every June.

 

With the theme “Whole of Society for Climate Resiliency," the caravan joined by around 1,000 participants also aims to engage partner stakeholders in the implementation of various ENR programs to ensure environmental preservation and climate resiliency.

 

A total of 316 land titles were awarded to qualified beneficiaries in the four provinces during the Handog Titulo part of the caravan.

 

Uniformed personnel were recognized for their support and contribution to the enforcement of environmental laws especially forest protection in Quirino province.

 

In Isabela, a memorandum of agreement between DENR and Isabela State University was signed in support of the National Greening Program of the Department.

 

In Nueva Vizcaya, the patentees were given sketch plan of their titled properties for free.

 

The DENR extended a one-stop-shop service such as electronic frontline applications, patent applications, free surveys of untitled lands, and seedlings distribution.

 

The state of the environment was also presented in the event to update the stakeholders on the implementation status of various ENR programs in each province. This will also serve as a guide in ensuring a science-based and climate-resilient policy adoption in their jurisdictions.

 

In her message, Regional Executive Director Bambalan lauded the commitment and support extended by DENR partner stakeholders in the implementation of the Agency’s programs.

 

“You are our active partners and this caravan is our way of bringing our services closer to you,” said the regional environment chief.

 

Director Bambalan also enjoined the participants to continuously extend their support in greening activities especially in tree growing, waste segregation, and natural resources and wildlife conservation to ensure environmental integrity.

 

Officials from the Registry of Deeds, Philippine National Police, Department of Trade and Industry, Land Transportation Authority, Philippine Information Agency, other government agencies, local government officials, Isabela State University, Quirino State University, Nueva Vizcaya State University, Cagayan State University, patent beneficiaries, youth and student ENR ambassadors, and the media signified their support to environmental programs during the signing of the commitment wall.

 

The activity was also graced by Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua and Lone District Rep. Midy Cua of Quirino province, Vice Gov. Eufemia Dacayo of Nueva Vizcaya province, local chief executives and officials, representatives from the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement groups and other government agencies, MGB Regional Director Mario Ancheta, Environmental Management Bureau, and other DENR regional and field officials.#

In a bid to strengthen the global campaign for ocean conservation, Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Cagayan Valley led environment stakeholders in a regionwide simultaneous cleanup activity today in celebration of the World Oceans Day with the theme, "Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing."

 

A total of 567 sacks of non-biodegradable, residual, special, and healthcare-related wastes were collected along the different waterbodies in the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya.

 

Over 1,600 environment stakeholders composed of representatives from the local government units, law enforcement and national government agencies, non-government organizations, academe, media, and youth participated in the event.

 

The celebration aims to highlight the importance of ocean to the lives of human beings. Oceans provide many benefits for the people and environment. Aside from food sources, they regulate climate, generate clean air to breathe, and provide for clean water to drink.

 

The World Oceans Day which is observed every June 8 aims to foster public interest in the protection of oceans and waterbodies and sustainable management of coastal and marine resources.#

Over 1,000 volunteers in Cagayan Valley planted more than 3,000 bamboo propagules and indigenous trees today, June 5, as part of the simultaneous nationwide celebration of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) World Environment Day.

 

Aside from tree growing, the volunteers also conducted cleanup activities along riverbank water quality management areas and other tributaries and waterways in the region.

 

With the theme “No to Waste: Advancing Circular Economy to #BeatPlasticPollution,” this global celebration calls for an immediate collective action to address plastic pollution by advancing circular economy.

 

Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of DENR Cagayan Valley earlier directed the field officials and employees to enjoin partner stakeholders in various greening activities to create bigger impacts for the environment.

 

“Let us heighten our campaign to beat plastic pollution,” said Director Bambalan as she emphasized features of Republic Act No. 11898 or the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 which institutionalizes the extended producer responsibility on plastic packaging waste.

 

For the region, the tree growing and cleanup drives were simultaneously held in Basco, Batanes; Tuguegarao City, Solana, Alcala, Aparri and Pamplona in Cagayan; City of Ilagan, Quirino, Cabagan, Cauayan City, Palanan, Maconacon and Dinapigue in Isabela; Diffun and Nagtipunan in Quirino; and Bayombong, Aritao and Dupax del Norte in Nueva Vizcaya.

 

The celebration was joined by volunteers from law enforcement groups and other national government agencies, local government units, academe, people’s organizations, youth and student ENR ambassadors, and the media.

 

The DENR Region 2 will also hold a series of Environmental Caravan cum People’s Day in the five provinces as part of the Philippine Environment Month celebration this June.

 

The caravan aims to bring ENR programs closer to the people and solicit support to promote environmental preservation and resiliency. #

As government leaders, we are expected to bring about transformation in governance, promote inclusivity, empowerment, and enabling communities to be resilient to climate crisis.

 

Regional Executive Director (RED) Gwendolyn Bambalan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 stressed this during the 2nd regional management conference on May 23-25 held in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.

 

With the theme, “Transformational Change for Sustainable Environment and Natural Resources Management,” the conference focused on environmental policy programs review and discussion, projects implementation plan, financial and physical accomplishments status in the region, and the presentation of one control map in the different community environment and natural resources offices (CENROS).

 

Director Bambalan said as stewards of the country’s natural wealth, there is a need for the Deparment to have transformational leaders who ought to create changes on people’s lives. She encouraged and motivated the key officials to embrace positive ways and create meaningful changes not only for the organization but also on the lives and condition of the local communities they serve.

 

In support of transformational leadership, she directed all CENROs to present their respective one control map which serves as informative geospatial database in ENR implementation.

 

This contains several geographical information overlaying data maps on lands, forestry, protected area and biodiversity management, mining, and environmental programs of the DENR.

 

"Establishing the regional one control map will aid our policy decisions to ENR management. With this tool, we could regularly update the region's state of the environment by analyzing the actual data on the ground," said Director Bambalan.

 

As part of adapting to climate-risk lens, the one control map shows data on forest cover which contributed from the national greening program and other initiatives, potential area for land titling from alienable and disposable lands, geo-hazard, landslide and flood prone areas, existing tenurial instruments, production and protection forests, among others.

 

Meanwhile in his message, Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and International Affair Jonas Leones encouraged the key officials to be proactive and vigilant in monitoring illegal forest activities. We have to guard our forest trees from illegal cutting rather than apprehending forest products during law enforcement operations," Usec. Leones said as he underlined enhancement of monitoring in hot spot areas to prevent occurrence of environmental crimes.

 

In the conference, RED Bambalan also cited development in the region such as the recent launch of the Online Land Administration Management System-Public Land Application in the PENR Offices of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino and e-frontline land management services in the field offices, construction of the elevator at the regional office, and procurement of the new Motorboat Sierra Madre for environmental program monitoring.

 

"I urge everyone to improve our organizational competencies for us to address and meet these global challenges. If we will not transform then definitely we will be left behind," she added.

 

In celebration of the Ocean Month, the regional environment chief led the officials in growing mangroves species along the beach forest in Barangay San Vicente. They also conducted monitoring of protected area and coastal and marine resources implemented within the Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape, one of the 14 protected areas in the region.

 

Four key officials were also recognized in a retirement program dubbed "Araw ng Parangal at Pasasalamat," for their selfless dedication as government public servants, namely; Technical Services Division Chiefs Nelson Tumaliuan and Rogelio Quenery Jr., Management Services Division Chief Melody Manzo, and Supervising Ecosystems Management Specialist Wilfredo Dacuycuy.#

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 has sought to fast track land titling and rehabilitate National Greening Program (NGP) sites in the northern most part of Cagayan.

 

In a dialogue with municipal vice mayor Edmund Escalante during the visit at Calayan Group of Islands on May 13-14, this year, Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of DENR Cagayan Valley proposed a partnership between the local government of Calayan and DENR through a memorandum of partnership agreement (MOPA) to expedite public land titling process and issuance in the municipality.

 

Through the MOPA, a land-matter help desk shall be established in the municipality with technical assistance from CENRO Sanchez Mira and PENRO Cagayan.

 

With over 4,000 hectares of alienable and disposable lands in Calayan, Director Bambalan instructed to conduct inventory of public lands to identify areas that have yet to be titled.

 

Aside from security of tenure, Director Bambalan said the land titles will help the LGU generate additional revenue that would improve the town's economic development.

 

The regional environment chief also solicited the support of the LGU to improve the status of the 148-hectare NGP area established in the municipality.

 

The DENR through its ‘tree replacement program’ in partnership with mining companies in the region will fund the establishment of additional plantations in Calayan under the enhanced NGP.

 

This initiative aims to create employment opportunities for the locals by engaging them in the development and maintenance of additional NGP sites.

 

Meanwhile, to heighten proper waste management in the municipality, a waste composter and a shredder will be awarded to the LGU by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

 

“Napakaganda ng bayan ng Calayan. I hope this will never be disturbed and destructed,” said RED Bambalan.

 

After the dialogue, the team monitored Dalupiri and Camiguin, still parts of the Calayan Group of Islands, and Fuga island under the jurisdiction of Aparri town using the new watercraft of DENR Cagayan Valley named MB (motor boat) Sierra in celebration of 2023 Month of the Ocean.

 

The high-end motor boat will be used for ground trotting, water quality monitoring, habitat assessment and survey, and other enforcement activities like seaboard patrolling and monitoring.

 

In its maiden voyage, Director Bambalan was also joined by Cagayan PENR Officer Enrique Pasion, Sanchez Mira CENR Officer Marina Galzote, Aparri CENR Officer Joselito Razon, other DENR and EMB officials, and the Philippine National Police - Maritime Group Aparri.

 

The DENR team also conducted biophysical assessment at Calayan and Camiguin islands.#