The newly assigned Officer-In-Charge of the DENR-Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) Tayabas, Forester Ramil J. Gutierrez, already hit the ground leading the office by initiating a series of meetings and courtesy calls with various stakeholders including other government offices, communities, private sectors, and other relevant stakeholders within his area of responsibility.

For. Gutierrez was the previous OIC of CENRO Catanauan, Quezon prior to being designated as the head of CENRO Tayabas on January 4, 2024. He took on his present role with the explicit intention of enforcing the directive: “Mabilis, Tapat at De-Kalidad na Serbisyo.”

One of the many activities already made by the new leader of the CENRO Tayabas was personal engagement in community affairs with the municipalities and barangays, along with the representatives from the concerned technical sections of the community office. The discussions included the environmental concerns regarding the management of forest, land, water, and other environmental resources at the local level.

CENRO Tayabas, under For. Gutierrez’ leadership, aims the direct involvement of stakeholders from the municipal and barangay levels to instill a sense of harmony in addressing environmental challenges and ENR laws implementation.

CENRO Tayabas is responsible for a total of 12 municipalities and two cities in Quezon Province, distributed across four districts: District I, including Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Pagbilao, and the City of Tayabas; District II, covering Lucena City, Sariaya, Candelaria, Tiaong, Dolores, and San Antonio; District III, encompassing Padre Burgos, Agdangan, and Unisan; and District IV (Atimonan-Quezon Protected Landscape side).

Moreover, the office oversees a total of five protected areas, consisting of two legislated national parks (Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape and Quezon Protected Landscape) and three initial components (Palsabangon Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserve (PMSFR), Binahaan River Watershed Forest Reserve (BRWFR), and Cagbalete Island Protected Landscape and Seascape).

Early in January 2024, the new OIC of CENRO Tayabas continued discussing with the Office of the 1st District Representative of Quezon Province the submission of draft legislation in the form of bills, for PMSFR and BRWFR. Similar to numerous other protected areas, these two protected areas have undergone public consultations, progressing to the subsequent stage of presenting the draft proclamations for congressional lobbying. The said document aims to provide a legal foundation for the establishment, protection, and sustainability of these PAs.

CENRO Tayabas, through its continuous efforts, aspires to set the stage for a more proactive and inclusive strategy that will guarantee simple access and the seamless provision of technical assistance pertinent to ENR matters, as well as a connected and mutually beneficial relationship between the department and its stakeholders.###