DENR steps up in protecting the environment

Posted at DENR Region 1

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) together with the Green Convergence (GC) organized the 2^nd Philippine Environment Summit, with the theme “Mainstreaming Innovations for Sustainable Development” held last February 20-22, 2018 at the Waterfront Hotel, Lahug, Cebu City

Around one thousand (1000) partakers came from the academe – educators and students alike, environmental NGOs, from other sectors – church, business, media, and government – national and local. It was a clear demonstration of greening together, growing better, as envisioned by the convener of the event, Green Convergence for Safe Food, Healthy Environment, and Sustainable Economy.

An Inter-religious invocation and the San Diego Sinulog Dance Troupe started the day. They were followed by the opening remarks and keynote address from the representatives of the two convenor organizations – Dr. Angelina Galang, President of Green Convergence and Honorable Secretary Roy Cimatu of the DENR.

Dr. Angelina Galang asked all to work together to achieve the triple bottom line: social justice, economic progress, and ecological integrity. And called on the students to allow their youthful optimism to carry forward these aims on a personal basis by enhancing their awareness and understanding of the environmental impacts of their personal choices. In conclusion, Dr. Galang alerted everyone to actively participate in developing resolutions that will help mainstream innovations to be presented during the Summit.

Hon. Sec. Cimatu shared successful projects of DENR in nine (9) environmental areas, namely: solid waste management, ecotourism, national greening program, water quality, geo-hazard assessment and mapping forest protection, coastal and marine conservation, biodiversity conservation and air quality. He also shared updates on the BORACAY rehabilitation projects and expressed our department’s commitment to support and implement the administration’s target of Boracay clean-up in six (6) months.

“Beyond the enforcement of environmental laws, we also need the direct and mass participation of the citizenry in accelerating reforestation, in coastal cleanups, in conserving energy, and in popularizing lifestyles that will enable us to reduce our carbon footprint and enhance our resilience,” Sec. Cimatu said.

The environment summit aims to mainstream innovations and program to promote sustainable development for the environment. It calls the government and every Filipino to unite to build a strong network for the environment’s conservation and protection.

Sen. Grace Poe talks on the right of every Filipino to live in a safe environment and the initiatives of the Senate in promoting a balance ecology during the last day of the summit.

“Importante na ipaglaban natin ang karapatan ng bawat mamayan,” Sen. Poe said.

Green convergence was convened as a multi-sectoral, non-stock, non-profit civic organization for environmental concerns organized to promote synergy of networks, non-organizations, and individuals, in the interest of building a critical mass of citizens that understand the inter-connectedness of issues of food, environment, and sustainable economy. Green convergence also believes that education as the most effective means for confronting the challenges of the future, thus, education shapes tomorrow’s world. (RPAO)