JAKARTA, 27 March 2017 - What is biodiversity? Ask people what they think it means, and chances are only a few can accurately define it. Fewer still can explain its significance to human survival. The immense communication gap between the biodiversity conservation community and the general public is a major factor hampering efforts to achieve biodiversity conservation goals in the ASEAN region and elsewhere in the world.

To help bridge this gap, ASEAN will recognize 10 ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes during the 50th anniversary of ASEAN on 8 August 2017. The awards ceremony will be held in Manila, Philippines. The ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes is designed to recognize outstanding individuals from the ASEAN Member States who have contributed significantly to biodiversity conservation and advocacy efforts in their respective countries and the region.

“The ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes are individuals that people can identify with and will inspire others to take action for biodiversity in their own spheres of influence. As ASEAN Member States continue to work on national development and sustainability goals and collaborate on regional initiatives to conserve ASEAN’s shared natural wealth, ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes play the crucial role of spreading awareness for the urgent need to conserve biodiversity,” said Secretary-General of ASEAN Le Luong Minh. He added that efforts to generate a greater awareness for biodiversity conservation help the region move closer toward achieving the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, a framework for community building and cooperation to attain common goals and aspirations for a politically cohesive, economically integrated, and socially responsible ASEAN.

“These heroes may be forest rangers, researchers, park managers, taxonomists, biodiversity information management specialists, media practitioners, scientists, biodiversity policymakers, academics, conservation workers, and other individuals – young and old – working in the biodiversity conservation arena. They are silent heroes devoting themselves to the survival of humanity,” said Atty. Roberto V. Oliva, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB).

Each ASEAN Biodiversity Hero shall receive a cash prize worth USD 5,000, a special hero medal, and a certificate. They will also receive special prizes from HARI Foundation, Inc. The heroes from the 10 ASEAN Member States will be also be known as the faces of biodiversity conservation in the ASEAN region.

The ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes is one of the ASEAN region’s contributions to the celebration of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020 – an excellent opportunity to increase public awareness of the values of biodiversity and promote actions at the national, regional and local levels to conserve and sustainably manage the world’s rich natural heritage.

The award is supported by the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, HARI Foundation, Inc., and the European Union through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in ASEAN (BCAMP) project. The ACB serves as awards secretariat.

For more information on the ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes, log on to www.aseanbiodiversity.org or send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 04 April 2017

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Deadline on April 28

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is now accepting nominations for the most environment-friendly and sustainable schools in the country.

Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Assistant Director Jacqueline Caancan said the “2017 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools” is for all public and private elementary and high schools, colleges and universities nationwide.

“The competition seeks to encourage schools to become more actively involved in environmental issues at a practical and local level. It recognizes academic institutions with the best eco-friendly programs and activities,” Caancan said.

The deadline for submission of nominations is April 28, and the winners will be announced in November as part of the National Environmental Awareness Month and National Clean Air Month celebrations.

“We are hoping more schools will participate in this fifth leg of the bi-annual Search that started since 2009, and take part in heightening environmental awareness among our youth,” Caancan said.

The national search is organized by DENR-EMB, in cooperation with the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education, Nestle Philippines, Smart Communications, One Meralco Foundation, Land Bank of the Philippines and other sectoral partners.

The competition is a direct response to Republic Act No. 9512 or the National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008. It is also the country’s initiative in support to the ASEAN Environment Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development, from 2014-2018.

Participating schools can register online at www.sustainableschools.ph and submit their entry in three hard copies to their respective DepEd division offices for public elementary and high-school categories, and to EMB regional offices for private elementary and high-school entries, including higher education/college category. Entries may also be submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The minimum requirement for judging will be the hard copies.

Entries can also be submitted online in JPEG format with a resolution of 300 dots per inch, a minimum size of 1536 x 2048 pixels, and a maximum file size of 1 MB.

The top entry per category for every region will be forwarded to the EMB central office in Quezon City for national judging.

Entries should reflect the theme “Sustainable and Eco-friendly Initiatives” of the respective schools.

Entries will be rated according to the following criteria: for Elementary and High School Category-Clear Articulation and Integration of Social, Ethical and Environmental Responsibility in the Institution’s Vision, Mission and Governance (10 points.); Environmental Dimension of School Operations (40 points); Environment-Related Features of the School Curriculum (20 points); Presence of Vibrant Eco Organizations in Campus (10 points); Presence of Partners and Linkages in Environment Programs/Projects (10 points); Socio-Cultural Sustainability (5 points) and Economic Sustainability (5 points). The criteria for Higher Education Category are: Administration (10 points); Curriculum and Instruction (20 points); Sustainability Programs (40 points); Research (10 points); Extension (10 points) and Student Engagement (10 points). Only one entry per school will be accepted.

For the national level, comprising of college, high school and elementary categories: prizes include: PhP50,000 - 1st Prize; PhP40,000 - 2nd Prize and PhP30,000 - 3rd Prize as well as plaques of recognition. For the regional level, a certificate of recognition and a prize of in cheque of PhP15,000 will be given to regional winners for each category.

Prizes shall also be awarded for the special category entitled “Nestle Leadership for Water”. This award is aimed at recognizing and promoting water management solutions and practices of schools. A prize of PhP20,000 will be given to each of the winners at the national level for college, high school and elementary school categories. A prize of PhP10,000 and certificate of recognition will be awarded to each of the regional winners of all categories.

Another special category entitled “Meralco Energy Leadership Award” will recognize schools that promote practices and initiatives in electrical safety, energy efficiency and conservation. A prize of PhP20,000 will be given to each of the winners at the national level for college, high school and elementary school categories. A prize of PhP10,000 and certificate of recognition will be awarded to each of the regional winners of all categories.

The Land Bank Green Leadership Award, at P25,000 per category, will recognize schools that promote overall environmental sustainability.

For further details, please contact the National Program Secretariat at the Environmental Education and Information Division of the Environmental Management Bureau-DENR. Telefax Numbers: (02) 9284674 and (02) 3765610; E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Websites: http://www.emb.gov.ph and http://www.sustainableschools.ph; Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/EcoFriendlySchoolsPhilippines.###

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 04 April 2017

Hits: 1164

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is pushing for an honest-to-goodness natural resource and environmental accounting system to enable the agency come up with specific policies and programs consistent with the sustainable integrated area development (SIAD) approach.

DENR Undersecretary for International Affairs and Foreign-assisted Programs Jonas Leones defines SIAD as a strategy that "weaves environmental considerations with social justice and human development," examples of which are ecotourism and agroforestry.

Through SIAD, the DENR will create "mini-economic zones" that can generate employment, livelihood and income-generating activities in communities where they operate, making it a way better alternative to destructive mining.

"At the DENR, we endeavor to achieve social justice by ensuring the integrity of our ecosystems on which local communities depend for food and livelihood," Leones said.

Leones also said it is about time "we account and minimize the depletion of our wealth, especially when it does not benefit our people."

The environment official issued the statement as the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) held last week a two-day national conference on National Capital Accounting (NCA), which served as the culminating activity of the World Bank-funded Philippine Wealth Accounting for the Valuation of Ecosystems Services or Phil-WAVES project.

With the theme "Accounting Nature, Capitalizing Partnerships for the Future," the NCA conference was held at the Hotel Marco Polo Ortigas in Pasig City from March 30 to 31.

The conference came amid a government campaign against irresponsible mining, highlighted by an industry-wide audit that resulted in the closure of 22 mining operations and suspension of four others due to serious environmental violations.

According to Leones, the forum served as an opportunity for the DENR to promote SIAD through "providing a deeper appreciation and understanding of taking into account the value of our natural resources."

At the same time, Leones said the implementation of Phil-WAVES would enable policymakers to come up with informed policies based on generated data regarding the monetary values of natural capital and ecosystem services.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia welcomed the heads and representatives of various departments and partner agencies to the conference designed to stir greater interest on NCA and mainstream it in the development agenda of the government.

NCA is the process of calculating the total stocks and flows of natural resources and services in a given ecosystem or region. The accounting for such goods may occur in physical or monetary terms.

This process can subsequently inform government, corporate and consumer decision-making as each relates to the use or consumption of natural resources and land, and sustainable behavior.

The Philippines is one of the eight countries implementing WAVES, a global partnership that aims to promote sustainable development by ensuring that natural resources are mainstreamed in development planning and national economic accounts.

Other countries implementing the project are Botswana, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Madagascar and Rwanda. ###

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 03 April 2017

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It's all systems go for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) as the dismantling operation in the Laguna de Bay gets into full swing starting this April.

The two agencies will resume the clearing operation once an LLDA board resolution allowing large-scale fishpen operators to self-dismantle expires today, March 31.

In Resolution No. 518 issued by the LLDA Board of Directors last February 1, owners of large-scale fish pens and cages were given until the end of March to "harvest their fish stocks and demolish their structures," otherwise the LLDA and the DENR -- through the National Anti-Environmental Crime Task Force (NAECTF) -- will conduct the demolition with help from various law enforcement agencies.

The same board resolution, signed by DENR Secretary Gina Lopez and LLDA General Manager Jaime Medina as chair and vice-chair of the 10-member LLDA board, respectively, declared a one-year moratorium on fishpen operations within the Laguna Lake. This means that all structures within the 90,000-hectare lake are now considered illegal.

The LLDA board said a moratorium was in order, noting that "fishpens and large structures have increased in Laguna de Bay and have deprived small fishermen of their source of livelihood."

Medina however clarified that LLDA-registered fishcages measuring one hectare and below, which are operated by ordinary fisherfolk, will be spared pursuant to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to prioritize the average fisherfolk in giving entitlements to the lake’s economic benefits.

LLDA records show around 2,878 of these fishcages occupy a total area of 1,849 hectares or a measly 18 percent of the 10,181 hectares occupied by fishpens owned by only 347 firms and individuals.

The DENR and LLDA plan to complete the clearing operation by the middle of the year, in time for the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Duterte, who, during his first SONA last year ordered the dismantling of big fish pens and cages in Laguna Lake to allow small fishermen to gain access to the lake’s traditional fishing grounds.

Meanwhile, the LLDA is expecting the DENR to provide for the heavy equipment to be used in the dismantling operation.

LLDA General Manager Jaime Medina said they would need fully-mechanized dismantling equipment to allow them to speed up the operation and meet the June deadline.

Medina said the LLDA would need all the support they can get considering that the moratorium would result in revenue losses for the agency to the tune of P50 million. The LLDA usually collects fees and charges from fishpen operators.

When the dismantling operation goes on full swing, Medina said that first to go are 30 fishpens, each measuring from 50 to five hectares. These fishpens are either owned by individuals or companies.

Medina said these structures are prioritized for demolition for having violated the Laguna de Bay Fisheries Zoning and Management Plan and non-payment of fees and charges totalling P50.7 million.

The LLDA targets to dismantle a total of 347 fishpens covering 10,181.93 hectares, more than 90 percent of which or 9,326.1 hectares are occupied by 222 corporations, while another 620.49 hectares are operated by 114 individuals. The remaining 235.34 hectares are occupied by 11 fishing cooperatives. ###

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 31 March 2017

Hits: 1277

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is now ready to lead government efforts toward a shift to a green economy that values and protects the natural environment, and provides well-paying and decent jobs to local communities.

Secretary Gina Lopez recently issued DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2017-08 that contains the guidelines for just transition of the agency's programs and projects to "green economy models" or GEMs where community members create sustainable goods and services for the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems.

"It is in taking care of the environment that all the Filipino people will truly benefit," Lopez said.

The environment chief strongly believes that shifting to green economy will create opportunities for inclusive growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

Lopez's new directive was pursuant to Republic Act No. 10771 or the Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016, and her promise to move the DENR from a regulatory agency to a developmental one.

DAO 2017-08 aims to create viable community enterprises where households are the focal members and players in creating value-added environmental products and services, and accelerate the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems.

Among the development and rehabilitation activities to be undertaken under the GEMs are the Enhanced National Greening Program with focus on the expansion of bamboo and mangrove plantations, the biochar program, the Sustainable Coral Reef Ecosystems Management Program, the Coastal and Marine Environment Program, and the National Ecosavers Program.

Other activities include ecotourism, mining rehabilitation, pollution mitigation and bioremediation, which is a natural technique in waste management that utilizes the organisms to remove pollutants from a contaminated site.

GEMs are open to all interested households located within and adjacent to existing and potential project sites, as well as organized community enterprises composed of grouped households who are interested in various development and rehabilitation projects of the DENR.

Under the GEMs, participant member households (PMHs) will get the chance to have tenurial rights and access to all DENR-controlled resource-based programs and projects.

The transition to GEMs has three main stages, namely: focus group discussions (FGDs) for community enterprise; legal organization of the community enterprise; and detailed but brief operating policies of the enterprise, including pricing, quality standards, handling, rejects and penalties.

Lopez said that through FGDs, PMHs will be able to discuss the process of "value adding chain" which, according to her, is the "method that the poor does not know how to do, and also the reason behind their poverty."

"Poverty is the reason why the environment is desecrated, and if we can invest in such a way that the community keeps the money, why not do it?" Lopez said. ###

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 30 March 2017

Hits: 1078