DENR-Region 2 fetes environmental champions

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TUGUEGARAO CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) recently recognized its partners for “their outstanding contributions to ecological conservation and good environmental governance.”

In recognition of its significant impact on river conservation, the City Government of Santiago received a plaque of recognition for its notable efforts in conserving the Calao-Delinquente-Diadi River, which was adjudged as this year’s Rivers for Life award champion.

Also awarded were the city governments of Cauayan, Ilagan and Tuguegarao for their effective implementation of ecological solid waste management, adoption of urban biodiversity programs and consistent provision of financial support to environmental initiatives.

Law enforcement agencies were acknowledged for their active involvement in enforcing environmental and natural resources laws, particularly in forest and wildlife protection, anti-illegal logging campaigns and their participation in Oplan Baklas and Huli Week operations.

The regional office also cited mining companies, namely OceanaGold (Philippines) Inc., FCF Minerals Corp. and Dinapigue Mining Corp., for their support in mining development programs and their participation in the community outreach initiative held in Santa Ana, Cagayan.

“We honor our partners whose collective efforts, strong commitment and unity brought our environmental goals to life,” said DENR Cagayan Valley Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan in her message recently.

“Together, we have proven that collaboration is the key to sustaining meaningful change for the people, for the planet and for future generations,” she added.

Meanwhile, the DENR regional office has wrapped up a 10-day field office engagement for seven mentees under the Environment and Natural Resources Academy (ENRA) Supervisory Course.

Bambalan emphasized the importance of teamwork and collaboration in addressing environmental challenges.

“In Region 2, we face diverse environmental issues, but through the collective efforts of our regional and field offices, along with the support of our partners, we have been able to manage and find solutions to these challenges,” she said.

The DENR Region 2 chief also encouraged the mentees who are DENR personnel from various regions to identify best practices observed during their field engagement and assess their applicability in their respective areas of assignment.

During the exit conference, the mentees shared their insights, accomplishments and key learnings from their assignments in the DENR Offices of Alcala and Aparri in Cagayan; San Isidro in Isabela; Aritao and Dupax in Nueva Vizcaya; and Diffun and Nagtipunan in Quirino.

The ENRA Supervisory Course is a specialized training program developed by the DENR to strengthen the leadership, managerial and technical competencies of its employees in supervisory roles.

As this developed, the Multi-Forest Protection Committee members in Mallig, Isabela, have convened to shore up “commitment to safeguarding its forest resources.”

The meeting underscored the critical importance of collaborative forest protection efforts with the active participation of the local government unit represented by the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources officer, along with various stakeholders from law enforcement, religious groups, civil society and other government agencies.

In the meeting, Juliann Gammad discussed legal perspectives on the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines. She also emphasized the legal implications of forest protection laws and the penalties for unauthorized use and transport of forest products.