The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Kalipunan ng mga Kawani ng Kagawaran ng Kalikasan (K4) recently signed a new Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) providing for additional benefits to DENR workers for the next three years.

K4, which has a total of 16 regional chapters nationwide, is duly accredited by the Civil Service Commission and has been recognized as the sole and exclusive negotiating representative of all DENR rank-and-file employees for almost one decade already.

The CNA was signed by DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and K4 national president Jose Isidro Michael Padin during the celebration of the DENR’s 32nd founding anniversary last June 14. It was the second CNA signed between DENR and K4.

Cimatu said he was honored the new DENR-K4 deal was signed under his watch even as vowed for “continued harmonious relationship between the union and the management.”

“This CNA is a recognition of the fact that the DENR’s strength relies on the unity and well-being of its workers,” Cimatu pointed out.

The DENR chief also thanked the K4 officers and members of the Board of Directors who helped make the CNA signing possible.

Under the new CNA, the DENR and K4 agreed to extend mutual cooperation and assistance to each other “with the end in view of improving the welfare and well-being of the workers.”

At least four new employees’ benefits have been added in the agreement, which will take effect until June 2022.

These benefits include provision of hazard pay and accident insurance, establishment of a wellness program, and formulation of a comprehensive health insurance.

Those covered by hazard pay and accident insurance are workers engaged in law enforcement activities against illegal logging, mining, and illegal trade and poaching of wildlife species.

The wellness program includes provision of free maintenance medicine for, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.

It also includes annual medical, optical and dental examination; stress management program; and immunization and screening for tuberculosis and Hepatitis B.

The CNA also calls for formulation of a comprehensive health insurance for workers in addition to the benefits available under the Employees Compensation Commission, the PhilHealth Insurance Program, and other applicable programs and policies of the government.

The CNA was a product of a month-long negotiation, which ended last June 7. The final agreement was presented to the DENR Executive Committee on June 10 or four days before the actual signing. ###

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Published: 29 July 2019

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is eyeing Panay Island as the center for bamboo production in the country.

This developed as DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu expressed his and the agency’s support to the National Convergence Initiative for Sustainable Rural Development (NCI-SRD) when it recently held its third summit in Iloilo City.

As part of the DENR’s commitment to the convergence, Cimatu said that with Panay Island being naturally abundant with bamboo, he would “transform [it] as the center for bamboo production and make it the DENR’s major contribution to the NCI-SRD.”

“We will adopt the latest technology in producing lumber and timber out of the bamboo stands. This can usher in inclusive development in the island and provide income and livelihood not only to the marginal farmers, and promote Panay as the country’s ‘bamboo capital’,” he said.

The environment chief then directed DENR Western Visayas Regional Executive Director Francisco Milla, Jr. to conduct an inventory of all existing bamboo plantations on the island, and to fast-track the establishment of bamboo processing plants that would produce engineered bamboo products.

He also instructed Milla to plant bamboo in identified denuded areas around the island.

The DENR in Western Visayas had initially identified 60 hectares for the propagation of bamboo in Panay Island, where more than 6,100 hectares of plantation currently exist.

The agency has committed to plant 13,500 hectares of industrial bamboo species such as bamboo tinik, Giant buho, bayog, and bolo in 2020.

To achieve this, some P10million has been initially earmarked in the 2019 budget for the production of planting materials and capacity building of farmers.

Bamboo is envisioned as one way to address the country’s wood requirements as an alternative for high-value forest products. It has been included as selected species to use for reforestation activities under the government’s National Greening Program (NGP).

Under the NGP, farmers would be capacitated on scientific methods of harvesting bamboo. They would be entitled to regular salaries while caring for bamboo plantations prior to harvest season. ###

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Published: 27 July 2019

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has partnered with the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines Inc. (PCAPI) to clean-up Estero de Marala that drains into the Manila Bay.

The 2.7-kilometer Estero de Marala is located on the boundary of the cities of Navotas and Manila. It is linked to the Estero de Vitas in the south, Estero de Maypad in the north, and Estero de Maypajo in the east.

During the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DENR and PCAPI, Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu underscored the importance of collaboration among the national government agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units (LGUs) and the community in rehabilitating Manila Bay and its tributaries.

“The parties to this (MOA) will develop a comprehensive program to reduce the degradation of this estero. But because this estero is linked to other water bodies, their cleanup, too, will be part of the equation,” Cimatu pointed out.

“That will also require coordination with other barangays and LGUs, and the communities along the banks of these water bodies,” he added.

For her part, PCAPI president Engr. Gretchen Fontejon-Enarle acknowledged that environmental protection is not only the duty of the government, but all stakeholders.

“This partnership signifies the importance, the essence of PCAPI, and hoping it will become a benchmark for other associations and organizations to do the same and take part in different environmental advocacies in order to address current environmental issues,” she said.

PCAPI is a non-stock, non-profit and non-government organization formed in June 1980 to work hand in hand with the government in the protection of the environment, and prevention, abatement and control of land, air, and water pollution.

The NGO adopted Estero de Marala under the DENR’s Enhanced Adopt-an-Estero program, which aims to collaborate between and among estero communities, donor partners, local government units, other government agencies, and the DENR.

Under the MOA, the parties agree to develop a comprehensive program intended to reduce the possible degradation of Estero de Marala, coordinate with each other during the term of the agreement and participate in regular planning and implementation of meetings, and validate how many informal settlers are living in the area.

They also agree to determine the necessity and extent of the plan for the cleanup, dredging, and desilting of selected rivers, as the interventions are introduced to improve Estero de Marala.

Responsibilities of the DENR include ensuring the measures are applied to reduce possible pollution in the estero; providing guidance to the adopters and in the LGU in undertaking monthly water quality monitoring of the adopted water body; providing technical assistance, information and education for the community, and intensifying the monitoring of the industrial and commercial establishments. ###

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Published: 25 July 2019

Nagsanib puwersa ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) at Pollution Control Association of the Philippines Inc. (PCAPI) upang linisin ang maruming tubig ng Estero de Marala na direktang dumadaloy sa Manila Bay.

Ang Estero de Marala na may habang 2.7 kilometro ay matatagpuan sa boundary ng mga lungsod ng Navotas at Manila. Nakaugnay ito sa Estero de Vitas sa timog (south), Estero de Maypad sa hilaga (north), at Estero de Maypajo sa silangan (east).

Sa ginanap na memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing sa pagitan ng DENR at PCAPI, ipinunto ni Environment Secretary Roy. A. Cimatu ang kahalagahan ng pagtutulungan ng national government agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units (LGUs) at komunidad sa isinasagawang rehabilitasyon ng Manila Bay at ng iba pang daluyan ng tubig na diretsong dumadaloy sa makasaysayang baybayin.

“The parties to this (MOA) will develop a comprehensive program to reduce the degradation of this estero. But because this estero is linked to other water bodies, their cleanup, too, will be part of the equation,” pagdidiin ni Cimatu.

“That will also require coordination with other barangays and LGUs, and the communities along the banks of these water bodies,” dagdag pa niya. 

Ayon naman kay PCAPI President, Engr. Gretchen Fontejon-Enarle, ang pagbibigay ng proteksiyon sa kalikasan ay hindi lamang nakaatang sa gobyerno bagkus ay sa lahat ng stakeholders.

“This partnership signifies the importance, the essence of PCAPI, and hoping it will become a benchmark for other associations and organizations to do the same and take part in different environmental advocacies in order to address current environmental issues,” ani Fontejon-Enarle.

Ang PCAPI ay isang non-stock, non-profit at non-government organization na itinatag noong Hunyo 1980 at naging kabahagi ng pamahalaan sa pagbibigay ng proteksiyon sa kalikasan at sa pagpigil ng paglala ng polusyon sa lupa, hangin, at katubigan.

Nabuo ang pakikiisa ng DENR at ng naturang ahensya sa pangangalaga ng Estero de Marala sa ilalim ng programang Adopt-an-Estero ng DENR, na may layuning mapalakas ang pagtutulungan ng mga komunidad malapit sa estero, mga donor partners, LGUs, DENR at ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan.

Napagkasunduan ng dalawang partido sa MOA na palawakin ang programa upang mabawasan ang paglala ng kalagayan ng Estero de Marala at magkaroon ng ugnayan ang bawat isa para sa regular na pagpaplano, implementasyon ng mga napagkaisahan sa pagpupulong at matukoy ang bilang ng mga informal settlers na naninirahan sa naturang lugar.

Kabilang din dito ang pagtukoy kung kinakailangang magkaroon ng cleanup, dredging at desilting sa mga ilog bilang bahagi ng mga hakbang upang maibalik ang kaayusan at kalinisan ng Estero de Marala.

Kasama sa mga responsibilidad ng DENR ang pagtiyak na maisasakatuparan ang mga hakbang upang mabawasan ang polusyon sa estero, paggawa ng gabay para sa buwanang water quality monitoring, pagbibigay ng technical assistance, information at education para sa komunidad, at ang pag-monitor sa mga industrial at commercial establishments sa paligid na maaaring nagtatapon ng dumi sa tubig. ###

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Published: 25 July 2019

Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu has called on Southeast Asia’s top forestry officials to strike a balance between preserving the region’s limited forest resources and meeting the needs of its growing population.

“We need to strike a balance between meeting the demands of the people and stability of the environment,” Cimatu stressed in his message delivered by DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas Leones during the 22nd meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF) held in Makati City on June 18.

Cimatu said that ASEAN forestry leaders “must transform into actions the strategic direction of sustainable forest management, competitiveness for foreign products, forest rectification, forest law and enforcement in government, and other forestry concerns.”

ASOF is a multinational body that aims to discuss policy matters, and formulate and implement regional cooperation activities and approaches in international and regional forestry fora.

Its basic objective is to formulate and implement regional cooperation activities to enhance the international competitiveness of ASEAN’s forestry products. It also aims to further strengthen the forestry arrangement in the region and joint positions in international fora.

According to Cimatu, forests are also integral to the pursuit of global sustainable development goals or SDGs, particularly SDG 6-Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 13-Climate Action, and SDG 15-Life on Land.

SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals, each with a list of broad based and interdependent targets. The SDGs were set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 with 2030 as the target year.

“Forests will lead to the achievement of multiple SDGs, including poverty alleviation, food security, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources,” Cimatu pointed out.

“Accordingly, SDGs require stronger commitment to restore, protect, and promote sustainable management of forests and other terrestrial ecosystems,” he added.

Meanwhile, DENR Assistant Secretary for Staff Bureaus and concurrent Biodiversity Management Bureau Director Ricardo Calderon noted that while “ASEAN forestry continues to grow because of the integration and cooperation,” it is “somehow overshadowed by the growing concern on biodiversity conservation.”
Calderon said it should be emphasized that the forest provides a wide range of goods and services for the people and a major backbone as far as the economies of the ASEAN member-countries are concerned.

He likewise emphasized that deforestation and biodiversity loss in Southeast Asia is “a scenario which is not all discouraging,” as he expressed optimism for change and development in the future.

“This is a major challenge to ASOF, the ASOF leaders, and our dialogue partners to work harder and walk the extra mile towards achieving the strategic direction and action plans and operationalize these at a national level,” Calderon said. #

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Published: 23 July 2019