Newsletter 1st Qtr 2011

First Quarter Volume 1, Series of 2011

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region VII, Central Visayas

Lake Balinsasayao

DENR 7 Leads Implementation

of NGP in Central Visayas

Executive Order No. 26 issued by His Excellency

President Benigno S. Aquino III on February 24,

2011, declares the implementation of the National

Greening Program (NGP) as a government priority. It

mandated the Department of Environment and Natural

Resources (DENR) to lead the implementation of the

NGP with the members of the steering committee under

the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Department of

Agrarian Reform (DAR)-DENR Convergence Initiative

to constitute the program’s Oversight Committee.

Sixteen (16) National Govvernment Agencies (NGAs) &

Government Offices (GOs) including Local

Government Units (LGUs), Government Owned and

Controlled Corporation (GOCCs), and State Colleges and

Universities’ (SCUs) are called to support the NGP.

Relative to NGP implementation, DENR-7 met with the

officials of the Department of Education (DepEd)

Region 7 last March 10, 2011 to discuss the details of

NGP in the region.

During the meeting, DENR-7 Regional Executive

Director Maximo O. Dichoso emphasized the

importance of forest in providing clean water and air for

a healthy environment. “Forest also provides stable

watershed function and nutrients steady supply of food

and shelter for wildlife, adequate supply of seeds and

wildlings, protection from heavy rains and storms,

windbreaker, prevention of flash floods and landslides

and revival of biodiversity”, Dichoso added.

Under the program, DENR-DA-DAR shall provide

planting materials, technical assistance, planting site

DENR-7 RED Maximo O. Dichoso answered queries from

the media during an NGP event attended by groups

from the academe and City government .

In this Issue

• DENR 7 leads Implementation of NGP

• Cebu firms join Adopt-a-River program

• New DENR-7 Regional Executive Director

• Tree Plantation Project for fashion accessories

• RTD Tawantawan assumes PAWCZMS post

• Tree Plantation Project for fashion accessories

• DENR-GAD 7 Observes Women’s Month

• Tarp-to-Tree Launched to mark World Water Day

• Adopt-a-Mojon program gets support

• Road Widening to Displace Century-Old Trees

• Creation of Working Committees for CCPL

• ICRMP Distributes Equipment to boost up Coastal Protection

• DENR urges public to join Earth Hour

• DENR, Capitol, Consolacion to Firm Up Forestry Land Use Plan

• MGB-7 to enhance danger area maps

• Mining Companies Spent Millions for Community Projects KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has installed

Regional Executive Director Maximo O. Dichoso as the new head of DENR

Region 7 Central Visayas. The turn-over ceremony on January, 2011 at the

DENR 7 Training Hall was witnessed by Atty. Ernesto Adobo, DENR

Undersecretary for Field Operations

RED Dichoso replaced RED Leonardo R. Sibbaluca who was transferred to

DENR Region 13 (CARAGA) as Regional Executive Director.

Dichoso, a native of Guimba, Nueva Ecija with latest assignment as RED in

DENR Region 10, is a Career Executive Service Officer III. His 35 years in

government service earned him considerable awards and recognitions:

Outstanding Forester of 2005 by the Society of Filipino Foresters; Outstanding

Performance Award in 1997 as Community Environment and Natural Resources

Officer; Outstanding Performance Rating by the Career Executive Service Board

in 2008; Outstanding Public Service Awards given by UPLB College of Forestry

and Natural Resources in April 2010, and Outstanding 2010 Alumni Award (Government Service) during the

Centennial Anniversary celebration at Central Mindanao University.

He obtained his degree in Bachelor of Science in Forestry major in Forest Resource Management from Central

Mindanao University. He further acquired his MS degree in Forestry major in Silviculture and Forest Influences at the

University of the Philippines, Los Baños Laguna in 1983.

In his acceptance speech, Dichoso outlined six priority areas endorsed by DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje:

1) Eliminate opportunities for graft and corruption, 2) Clean Air, 3) Clean Water, 4) Ensure compliance to

environmental regulations, 5) Optimize benefits from land resources, and 6) Optimize benefits from mining. Dichoso

further said that “Secretary Paje was forthright on fighting graft and corruption at the DENR using the word

“playground” as a metaphor which, he said, he will remove with a well-defined anti-corruption measures”.

“We need to pursue meaningful partnership and collaboration with the private sector and local government units (LGUs)

to enable us to strengthen our “tuwid na daan” or good governance programs,” Dichoso said. He likewise emphasized

turn to page 12 (New DENR 7….)

New DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Installed

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region VII, Central Visayas Page 2

RTD Tawantawan assumes post as RTD of PAWCZMS

Ruth Manigos-Tawantawan formally assumed her new post

as Regional Technical Director of Protected Areas Wildlife

and Coastal Zone Management Services (PAWCZMS) of

DENR Region 7 effective January 31, 2011. She replaces

RTD Dioscoro M. Melana who was transferred to DENR

Region 9 as RTD of same office.

RTD Tawantawan hails from South Cotabato and spent

her grown-up years in Davao City. She graduated Cum

Laude at the University of Mindanao with the degree of

Bachelor of Science in Forestry. She obtained her Masters

Degree in Management at the Asian Institute of

Technology, Bangkok, Thailand. A Rank IV Career

Executive Service Officer, she has served as a Community

Environment and Natural Resource Officer (CENRO) and

Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Officer

(PENRO) from 1995 to 2010. KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn RTD Melana turns-over the key of responsibility to

incoming OIC RTD for PAWCZMS Ruth Tawantawan.

Along with the city governments of Cebu and

Mandaue, eleven Cebu-based industrial firms, namely:

Cenapro Chemical Corporation; Concrete Solutions

Inc.; Maritrans Recycler Inc.; JLR Construction and

Aggregates Inc.; Lami Food Products Corporation;

Profood International Inc.; Treasure Island Industrial

Corporation; Primary Homes Inc.; GreenCoil Industries

Inc.; Sunpride Foods Inc., and Cebu Holdings Inc.

entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with

DENR Region 7 represented by Regional Executive

Director Maximo O. Dichoso last March 25, 2011 for

the Adopt-a-River or Estero through the “Linis Estero”

Program. They pledged to undertake clean-up and other

rehabilitation activities in Butuanon and Guadalupe

Rivers and tributaries.

“We are glad that more organizations and industries are

taking active roles in improving the condition of our

Cebu Firms join Adopt-a-River

Program


identification and preparation, tree planting and caring

of trees, social mobilization and extension services,

monitoring and evaluation, and community

development.

Specifically, Dichoso said the nationwide goal of NGP

is to plant 1.5 billion trees in some 1.5 million hectares

from 2011 to 2016, which is more than twice the

government’s accomplishment of 730,000 hectares for

the past 25 years. For Central Visayas, a total of 2.816

million seedlings will be planted this year to cover 7,499

hectares of forestlands, protected areas, and other

suitable lands of the public domain.

Dichoso also explained that the NGP is a collective

effort and is counting on people’s participation through

social mobilization by drawing partnership with all

national government agencies, LGUs, government

owned and controlled corporations, including state

colleges and universities to harness maximum

participation through their personnel complement.

NGP aims to pursue poverty reduction, food security,

land productivity, environmental stability and

sustainability, climate change mitigation and

adaptation, and value formation.

DENR 7 leads Implementation ….. continued from page 1

KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn.... KKKKaaaalllliiiikkkkuuuuppppaaaannnn

waterways which have become threats to public health

and safety because of pollution and cloggings”, Dichoso

said. “Most of these are tributaries of lakes, seas and

oceans, and with the astounding amount of garbage we

always collect during cleanup drives, maintaining

cleaner waterways should be a collective priority,” he

added.

He likewise mentioned the reported La Niña this year as

another reason why “Linis Estero Program” should be

undertaken in other areas within the region at the

soonest possible time. “We have seen and heard reports

of flooding elsewhere. It may be safe to say that some of

these were caused by clogged waterways, especially in

urban centers,” Dichoso said.

The program aims to institutionalize good sanitation and

solid wastes management practices among the river or

estero communities through education and actual

participation in the program thereby reducing incidence

of water-related diseases and those associated with poor

sanitation such as cholera, diarrhea, and dengue,

particularly among children.

RED Dichoso during the MOA signing of the

Adopt-a-River or Estero Program.

Rivers are places that

renew our spirit,

connect us with our

past, and link us

directly with the flow

and rhythm of the

natural world. — (T. Turner, The Rivers of South

Carolina)

Adopt-a-Mojon program gets support

Hon. Mayor Ricardo R. Ramirez of the municipality of

Medellin, Cebu formalized his support to “Adopt-a-

Mojon Program” having entered a Memorandum of

Agreement with DENR for the same on February 17,

2011.

“Heritage trees, those with historical and cultural

significance as certified by the National Historical

Institute or by other appropriate agencies, and landmark

trees as certified by the concerned LGU should be

preserved, nurtured and applied with necessary tree

maintenance practices”, according to Department of

Environment and Natural Resources, Region 7 RED

Maximo O. Dichoso.

Pursuant to Presidential Decree (PD) No. 953,

“Requiring the planting of trees in certain places and

penalizing unauthorized cutting, destruction, damage,

and injuries of certain trees, plants and vegetations”,

and the policy of the State to protect and advance the

right of the Filipino people to a healthful environment

and to establish a holistic ecosystem approach in

public places and certain areas was made mandatory

and/or voluntary for environmental protection

purposes, enhancement of the aesthetic value of the

area and contribute in addressing impacts of climate

change.


“Removal of trees affected by infra projects can be

through earth-balling or cutting. However, when estab-

lishing infrastructure projects, removal of the trees

should be the last option and the design of the

projects should complement the presence of existing

vegetation,” Dichoso said. “The CENRO office

concerned shall conduct the necessary inspection and

evaluation of the area including the inventory of trees

covered by the application to determine the necessity to

remove, prune or trim the trees,” he added.

Accordingly, a road widening project affecting alleged

century-old trees would start from Naga City to Carcar

City and would cost about P27 million. It shall be

undertaken by the Department of Public Works and

Highways (DPWH).

Generally, trees and other vegetation, both planted and

naturally-growing, with diameter of 15 centimeters and

below may be earth-balled. The transplanting of earth-

balled trees shall be the obligation of the permittee, to

be conducted in an area jointly pre-identified with the

DENR. They shall maintain and protect the

transplanted tree for a period of at least one year.

Naga-Carcar Road Widening

to Displace Century-Old Trees

Medellin Mayor Ricardo R. Ramirez signed a Memorandum of

Agreement (MOA) with DENR-7 for the Adopt-A-Mojon

program. With Mayor Ramirez are DENR officials and staff.

Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan. Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. KalikupanKalikupanKalikupanKalikupan

The “Adopt-a-Mojon” program has the objective of

enlisting the participation of the local government

units, people’s organizations, and the general public

in the establishment and the preservation of the

PRS92 geodetic control points marked by survey

monuments popularly called “mojons”. A

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) formalizes the

partnership of DENR and the local government

units, people’s organizations and the general public

to ensure the realization of a unified reference system

for national development.

The Philippine Reference System of 1992 (PRS92) is

the basic reference system for all surveying and

mapping activities in the country. It is a homogeneous

national network of geodetic control points, marked

by “mojons”, established using the Global Positioning

System (GPS). These Geodetic Control Points

(GCPs) or “mojons” need to be maintained to be

able to serve the geo-referencing needs of the

geodetic surveying community at all times.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7

Regional Executive Director Maximo O. Dichoso presided

the general assembly of the Central Cebu Protected

Landscape-Protected Area Management Board (CCPL-

PAMB) with 61.97% attendance or 44 regular members

out of 71.

“With the approval of CCPL-PAMB members, we have

created working committees to handle specific, clear and

more defined functions and responsibilities to expedite

implementation of programs and projects within the

protected area,” Dichoso

said.

The eight (8) working

committees with assigned

chairman as approved by

CCPL-PAMB are: Research

and Policy, Renato de

Rueda of Cebu Biodiversity

Conservation Foundation

I n c . ; P r o j e c t a n d

Infrastructure, Socorro

Atega of Cebu Uniting for

Sustainable Water; Conflict

and Legal Services, Joy

Caceres of Environmental

Legal Assistance Center; Capacity-Building and

Promotion, Aida Granert of Soil and Water

Conservation Foundation; Monitoring and

Evaluation, Junie Montenegro of the Cebu Provincial

Planning and Development Office; Economic and

Social, Jessie Cubijano of Philippine Business of Social

Progress; Ways and Means, Armando Paredes of Metro

Cebu Water District; and Natural Resources and Law

Enforcement, Jose Gapas of Mag-uugmad Foundation.

Each committee will have a maximum of five members to

include the chairman and vice chairman.

Dichoso added, “the CCPL-PAMB will prepare a revised

CCPL Management Plan attuned to the existing needs and

environmental protection requirements specially that

delineation of boundaries on the ground will hopefully be

completed this year.

“We have committees to study and subsequently conduct

the survey and prepare the management plan in

coordination with concerned offices,” he said. The

updated Management Plan will also include areas or zones

strict protection and multiple-use instead of five

zones before.

“The Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL)

under Republic Act No. 9486 approved on June 7,

2007 covers a consolidated area of 28,312 hectares

consisting of the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve,

Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve, Sudlon

National Park, Central Cebu National Park and the

Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve located in

the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Toledo and Danao, and in

the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion,

Liloan, Compostela, and Balamban.

“We would like to emphasize here that the

protection, conservation and management of CCPL

is a collective and joint efforts among

LGUs, NGOs, business sectors and other

stakeholders through the PAMB and

DENR

only sits as its chair and provides

technical assistance and administrative

support,”

Dichoso


Creation of Working Committees

for CCPL

RED Maximo O. Dichoso discussed

certain issues with ANAD Partylist

Representative, Jun Alcover during

the CCPL-PAMB meeting.

Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan. Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan.Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. Kalikupan. KalikupanKalikupanKalikupanKalikupan RED Dichoso administers the Oath of Membership

to CUSW Executive Director Socorro Atega as a

new member of CCPL-PAMB.

Kiddiehaus Educational Tour at

DENR-7

Other Activities:

The KiddieHaus and Gopher Wood Learning

Centers visited DENR-7 as part of its Educational

Tour last February 11 and March 17, 2011 held at

the Training Hall , Banilad, Mandaue City.

Close to 100 students participated during the

lectures conducted by the Regional Public Affairs

Office (RPAO) and Ecosystems Research and

Development Service (ERDS) staff to instill

environmental awareness on the young minds. The

lecture focused on the following topics: Solid

Waste Management,; Climate Change; Vermi-

Composting and the DENR Priority Thrusts and

Programs. It also mentioned about the services

rendered to LGUs, academe, partners and other

stakeholders.

The University of Cebu Junior Jaycees Inc., a

Federation of Young Leaders and

Entrepreneurs is currently undertaking a

project dubbed as “Polystyrene Cups: Save the

Environment, Save the Planet Earth”, in

cooperation with DENR-7.

The members of the UCJJC turned over nearly

3,000 plastic cups to DENR.

The DENR expressed appreciation to the UC

JJC by signing a Memorandum of Agreement

(MOA) as partner in pursuing the preservation

of our environment and its active participation

in the National Greening Program.

The UCJJC expressed willingness to help and

provide assistance in whatever environmental

programs or activities of the department they

can best serve.

UCJJC turned-over plastic cups

to DENR-7

Page 6 Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region VII, Central Visayas




DENR-7 RED Maximo O. Dichoso together with

PAWCZMS Regional Technical Director Ruth M.

Tawantawan interacted with the members of the media

during the turn-over of ICT equipment to 26

municipalities of Central Visayas enrolled in ICRMP.

DENR 7 Photo Recap

DENR 7 RED Maximo O. Dichoso (extreme left) met with officials from PNP 7, AFP-Central Command, NBI-7, Naval Forces Central, and the Philippine Coastal Guard for an organizational meeting for the creation and operationalization of the Regional Anti-Illegal Task Force

DENR 7 RED Maximo O. Dichoso and Hon. Mayor Thadeo Z.

Ouano of Mandaue City during the Capability Building of Local

Environment and Natural Resource Officers (ENROs) and

preparation of Environment Code Seminar - Workshop on February

3-4, 2011.

Lands Management Service (LMS) Regional Technical

Director (RTD) Diana Apistar (left) introduced RED Maximo

Dichoso to the Hon. Mayor of Cebu City, Michael Rama

during the Orientation with the Cebu City LGU Officials on

RA 10023 an Act Authorizing the Issuance of Free Patents

to Residential Lands on January 14, 2011 at Radisson Blu

Hotel, Cebu City

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources,

Region 7 (DENR), Cebu Fashion Accessories

Manufacturers and Exporters Foundation, Inc. (Cebu

FAME) and Borbon Tree Farmers Association, Inc.

(BTFAI) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement on 14

March 2011 for the establishment of a 10-hectare tree

plantation project for fashion accessories in Magdolinog,

Borbon, Cebu.

Signatories were DENR Regional Executive Director

Maximo O. Dichoso, Cebu FAME President Janet U.


Tree Plantation Project for Fashion Accessories

March is annually observed as Women’s Month. This

year’s theme “Magna Carta of Women, the Philippine

CEDAW: in support of the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs)”.

The DENR 7 GAD Focal Point System headed by

Regional Focal Person Emma E. Melana facilitated a

potting activity on March 11, 2011 at DENR-7 Nursery,

Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City. The objective of the activity

was to prepare potting materials for quality seedling

production.

The activity was participated in by 50 employees and was

able to produce 10,000 potted materials in support to the

National Greening Program (NGP).

Meanwhile, Eddie E. LLamedo, OIC Chief of the

Regional Public Affairs Office talked on Land Entitlement

for Women and New Residential Free Patent Act (RA

10023) in the Forum and Symposium in the Department

of Agrarian Reform-Cebu Province Office.

DENR 7 observes Women’s Month


The Department of Environment and Natural

Resources (DENR) 7 encourages the public to

participate in the Earth Hour activity which entails

the simultaneous switch off lights and other electric

appliances on March 26 between 8:30 p.m. to 9:30

p.m.

The activity initiated by World Wildlife Fund

(WWF) aims to raise awareness on global warming

and to push governments to implement appropriate

policies.

DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo

O. Dichoso said we need an environmentally

concern citizenship that promotes a lifestyle of

ecological responsibility and discipline that adheres

to the principles of sustainable development, so that

we can reduce the upsurge of carbon stress.

Major malls and business establishments in Cebu

City observed the Earth Hour activity.

DENR urges public to join Earth Hour

Cebu FAME Foundation Inc. is implementing a “Go

Green Project”, a five-year activity which intends to

replenish the wood-based natural resources

particularly those species utilized for fashion

accessories like Mamalis (white wood), Sibukao (red

wood) and the like. BTFAI in Borbon, Cebu is the

3rd and this CY 2011 CBFM PO beneficiary of

Cebu FAME’s “Go Green Project”. A total of

30,000 seedlings will be planted in 10 Has. CBFM

area of BTFAI within the five-year period for a total

operation cost of PhP310,082.00. This will

hopefully sum to 35 Has. tree plantation for fashion

accessories of Cebu FAME “Go Green Project”

Dichoso said that such partnership with FAME and

Borbon Tree Farmers Association demonstrates an

expression to contribute for the protection and

maintenance of the environment in collective effort,

at the same time, addressing the needs of our

people’s organization for a modest income by

growing and maintaining trees.

Page 9 Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region VII, Central Visayas

Around 300 volunteers from the academe, local

government units, national government agencies, business

sectors and other stakeholders participated in the

launching of “Tarp-to-Tree” project and community tree

planting in Barangay Inagayan, Naga City, Cebu in

celebration of the world water day (WWD) on March 22,

2011.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources

(DENR) 7, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. and Barangay

Local Government Unit of Inayagan, Naga City, Cebu

signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the

“Tarp-to-Tree” project which includes tree planting,

development and maintenance of a five-hectare tree

plantation in Barangay Inayagan, Naga City, Cebu. The “

project collects used tarpaulin materials in exchange

for tree species.

Specifically, Dichoso said the goal is to plant 1.5 billion

trees in some 1.5 million hectares from 2011 to 2016,

which is more than twice the government’s

accomplishment of 730,000 hectares for the past 25

years. For Central Visayas, a total of 2.816 million

seedlings will be planted this year to cover 7,499 hectares

of forest lands, protected areas and other suitable lands

of the public domain.

“Water quality is improved as trees take up nutrients and

pollutants as they grow, and water tables are recharged as

they allow the rainwater to percolate down the aquifers,”

Dichoso explained.

“Tarp-to-Tree” launched to mark

World Water Day


MOA signing during the Tarp-to-Tree project launching

with Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. and Barangay Inayagan,

City of Naga, Cebu on March 22, 2011.

The Department of Environment and Natural

Resources (DENR) 7 has distributed nearly P5.4

million worth of information and communication

technology (ICT) equipment to 26 municipal local

government units (LGUs) in Central Visayas for

coastal protection as part of the Integrated Coastal

Resource Management Program (ICRMP)

implementation.

The 26 LGUs include: Larena, Siquijor, Enrique

Villanueva, Lazi, Maria, and San Juan, all in

Siquijor; and Alcantara, Alcoy, Aloguinsan, Alegria,

Argao, Barili, Boljoon, Badian, Carmen, Cordova,

Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Lapulapu City, Malabuyoc,

Moalboal, Samboan, San Remegio, Santa Fe, Ronda,

and Tabogon, all in Cebu. The ICRMP operates in

the provinces of Cebu and Siquijor.

The handheld radios and personal computers intends

to capacitate local government units (LGUs) in their

law enforcement efforts and maintain and keep a

database through the integrated information

management system. Patrol boats were likewise

given to LGUs together with the ICT equipment to

further boost the fight against illegal fishing and curb

the problem on the destruction of coastal natural

resources.

ICRMP is a national program funded by the Asian

Development Bank where DENR is the lead agency.

This is supported by other national agencies like

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources,

Department of Interior and Local Government,

National Economic Development Authority,

Department of Agriculture and Department of

Budget and Management in partnership with local

ICRMP distributes equipment to

boost up Coastal Protection

RTD Tawantawan of PAWCZMS (extreme left) and RED

Dichoso (extreme right) during the turn-over ceremony.

The regional office of the Department of Environment

and Natural Resources, the Cebu provincial government,

and the municipality of Consolacion have agreed to firm

up municipal forestry land use plan in a bid to protect

and preserve the town’s coastal and forest resources. A

Memorandum of Agreement was signed on February 25,

2011 by DENR, represented by Regional Executive

Director Maximo Dichoso and Consolacion Honorable

Mayor Teresa Alegado to formalize the collaboration

and agree on the tasks of respective organization.

The MOA states that the DENR is mandated under

Executive Order 192 and the Local Government Code to

protect and manage the environment and natural

resources in collaboration with the local government

units, other government agencies, non-governmental

organizations and the private sector.

Officials realized the implementation of Environment

and Natural Resources Management Program in the

province needs LGU collaboration for better delivery of

services at the municipal level, especially on forestry

sector which needs technical assistance on the

formulation of municipal forest land use and watershed

management plans for sustainable forests and forestland

management.

Consolacion has a population of 87,000 as of 2007

census, with a total land area of 3,898 hectares of which

207 hectares is considered timberland.

The MOA further stated that Consolacion also realizes

that most of its forests and forestlands are open access,

which are generally defined as forestlands that are not

covered by any form of tenure, government

proclamations, or reservations or forestlands without

effective on site management unit.

Dichoso assured Mayor Alegado that the DENR will

provide the necessary technical support for the

realization of the town’s Forestry Land Use Plan .

DENR, Capitol, Consolacion to Firm Up Forestry Land use plan

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region VII, Central Visayas


Page 10

It's not really happening, is it?

It seems to be, but there are some people who

say it is not. Can you think who some of these

might be? You guessed it! Many of the people

who claim climate change is not happening are

those who use lots of fuel, who make things

like cars that use lots of fuel, or actually get

the fuel out of the earth: that's heavy

industry, carmakers and the oil, gas, and

coal companies. This is what people call

'vested interest'. These are people who depend

on other people using lots of fuel if they are to

continue making money. It's not surprising that

they don't think there is any climate change.

But it doesn't make them right!

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the key

to solving global climate change. A major way

these gases get into the atmosphere is when

people burn coal, oil, and natural gas for energy.

Everyone uses energy, and everyone can be part

of the solution!

But don't forget that climate change is already

happening. We're seeing some of the impacts

now and we'll experience more in the future. So

we need to prepare and plan for the changes we

know are coming . (US-EPA )


The densification of geohazard maps is one of the

major projects on disaster risk reduction initiative to be

implemented this year by the Mines and Geosciences

Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and

Natural Resources (DENR). MGB 7 Regional Director

Loreto B. Alburo said the densification project is aimed

to produce geohazard maps with scale of 1:10,000

covering critical areas prone to landslide and flooding to

show more details of the area covered by the map.

“The production of a 1:10,000-scale geohazard map is

like zooming in the 1:50,000-scale map until we see the

details of the area which cannot be discerned in the

1:50,000-scale geohazard maps,” Alburo said.

Priority in the densification project will be the 72

barangays which are highly susceptible to landslide and

flooding in Cebu City, Toledo City, Balamban, Naga

City, Municipalities of Jagna and Duero in Bohol, and

Municipality of Valencia and Bayawan City in Negros

Oriental.

Further, Alburo said that under the project, MGB will

also conduct coastal geohazard assessment and mapping

Nearly 11.3 million pesos or 122.13% of its annual allotment of 9.2 million pesos was spent by large scale mining

companies in Central Visayas from January to December 2010 for various social development programs geared

towards improving the quality of lives of the host and neighboring communities. Out of which, 90.61% or 10.201

million pesos are spent by mining companies in Cebu Province.

Carmen Copper Corporation in Toledo City, Cebu topped the list with Php3.373 million; Philippine Mining Service

Corporation-Alcoy Dolomite Mine/Dolomite Mining Corporation in Alcoy, Php1.523 million; Apo Cement

Corporation/Apo Land & Quarry Corporation in City of Naga with Php2.875 million; JLR Construction &

Aggregates Inc. in City of Naga, Php908,070; Taiheiyo Cement Philippines Inc./Solid Earth Development

Corporation in San Fernando, Php1.129 million; Philippine Mining Service Corporation-Bohol Mine/Bohol

Limestone Corporation in Garcia-Hernandez, Bohol, Php1.057 million; and Quarry Ventures Philippines Inc. in

City of Naga, Cebu with Php393,325.00

DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau-7 Regional Director Loreto B. Alburo explained, “we have been conducting

close monitoring and supervision of these social development projects to ensure that the benefits of mining will be

felt by the communities”. He added, “DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje has directed us to ensure that communities

will enjoy a reasonable and equitable share from these mining operations through the implementation of livelihood

programs and has issued instructions to closely monitor mining companies to ensure full compliance to the

provisions of Republic Act 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995”.

of 201 priority coastal barangays in Sibonga, Carcar,

San Fernando, Naga City, Minglanilla, Talisay City and

Cebu City, all in Cebu Province; and Vallehermoso,

Guihulngan, La Libertad, Jimalaud, Tayasan, Ayungon,

Bindoy, Manjuyod, Bais City, Tanjay, Amlan, San Jose,

Sibulan, Dumaguete City, Bacong, Dauin,

Zamboangita, and Siaton, all in Negros Oriental

Province at a scale of 1:10,000.

The geohazard maps will then be distributed to

concerned local government units with intensive

information and education campaign support and

training of local officials, local leaders and members of

s u b j e c t

communities.

"Geohazards" are events caused by geological features and

processes that present severe threats to humans, property and

the natural and built environment. Earthquakes, floods,

landslides, volcanoes, avalanches and tsunamis are typical

examples of such events. Landslides, caused by heavy rainfall,

flood, earthquake, erosion, and human activities, are the most

common geohazards on land.

Mining Companies Spent Millions for Community Projects

MGB-7 to enhance danger area maps


New DENR-7 Regional Executive Director …… continued from page 2


the need to focus on this six-point agenda without

compromising other DENR programs for the coming

years to better respond to the persistent issues in the

environment and natural resources sector.

“We will be convening the non-government

organizations and other stakeholders for a dialogue or

forum to thresh out issues and concerns and work for a

common stand for the protection of the environment,”

Dichoso added. ///

The United Nations-led International Year of the Forests (IYF) focuses on reforestation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for the primary benefit of some 25 million Filipino upland dwellers, considered among the "poorest of the poor" in the country. According to DENR

Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, “the observance of the International Year of the Forest in the Philippines not only serves as a catalyst for raising global awareness of the urgent need to protect the planet’s fragile forest resources, but more importantly, our festivities should focus on the need for reforestation and reducing gas emissions while supporting people and biodiversity for the primary benefit of Filipinos especially those in the

“Our

environment,

the world

in which we live

and work,

is a mirror

of our

attitudes

and expectations”


Editorial BoardEditorial BoardEditorial BoardEditorial Board

RED Maximo O. Dichoso, CESO III Managing Director

RTD Isabelo R. Montejo RTD Diana R. Apistar

OIC-RTD Emma E. Melana OIC - RTD Ruth M. Tawantawan

Editorial Consultants

Eddie E. Llamedo Editor-in-Chief

Maricita S. Cabasa, Theodora D. de Leon, Ann F. Jumawan, Stephanie Ave Q. Chan,

Vinesse S.A. Molina, Erna E. Arranguez Writers/Contributors

Stephanie Ave Q. Chan

Ann F. Jumawan Graphic Design/Artists

Kalikupan is a quarterly publication of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources with office address at Greenplains Subdivision, Banilad, Mandaue City.

Tel. (032)345-39-59 / 346-96-12 Fax no. 345-39-66

Email:[email protected] Website:www.denr.gov.ph

Documents

Newsletter 1st Qtr 2011