Posted Date: June 30, 2022

 

 

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 has awarded more than 100 environmental partners during the culminating activity of the Philippine Environment Month held yesterday in Tuguegarao City.

 

For awardees in Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) programs, the Divisoria High School in Santiago City, Isabela was recognized for having its institution sustained as the most eco-friendly school in the Philippines since 2017; while the Isabela Biomass Energy Corporation in Alicia and Cagayan Biomass Energy Corporation in Burgos, both in Isabela were commended for converting wastes to energy projects and for being compliant to environmental laws, rules and regulations.

 

The local government unit (LGU) of Luna, Isabela was recognized being the first to install and operate a continuous real-time air ambient monitoring program of the EMB.

 

The city government of Santiago in Isabela was also awarded for its support in environmental protection and conservation.

The EMB appreciated the FCF Minerals Corporation in Runruno, Quezon in Nueva Vizcaya; and Didipio OceanaGold Philippines Inc. (OGPI) located across the provinces of Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya for donating bamboo propagules during the simultaneous nationwide tree planting activity conducted within the Water Quality Management Areas of the region.

 

The OGPI and some of its personnel were also awarded for their assistance in the conduct of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Fire Fighting and First Aid Application Training last June, this year.

 

Meanwhile, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau commended the OGPI, FCF Minerals and Dinapigue Mining Corporation for each attaining millions of safe man-hours without lost time accident from Feb. 17, 2017 to May 2022. This significant milestones of mining companies is recognized globally as a key indicator of a company’s safety performance.

 

The three mining companies were also recognized for their continued implementation of programs in environmental protection, social development, and health and safety.

 

“I thank the FCF Minerals mining company for the establishment of the three-hectare regional arboretum in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya as a result of our forged partnership aims to replenish the trees cut covered with permits with comprehensive site development of denuded forest lands. We now have additional 190 hectares of agroforestry and tree plantations out from this initiative alone," said Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of the DENR.

 

As direct partner- implementers of forest protection and law enforcement in the different provincial and community environment and natural resources offices, uniformed personnel, local government chief executives and officials, academe, and civil society organizations in the region were recognized for their strong involvement and commitment in achieving strengthened environmental law enforcement and intensified forest protection and anti-illegal logging campaign of the Department.

 

“These environmental partners are our strengths as we work with them hand in hand not only in enforcing forest protection and environmental laws but also in implementing development programs in forest and watershed, protected area and biodiversity, coastal and marine ecosystems, handog titulo, and Cagayan River restoration,” RED Bambalan said.

 

Joining the regional environment chief in the awarding of plaques and certificates to partners and stakeholders were Regional Directors Nelson Honrado and Mario Ancheta, Assistant Regional Executive Directors Marcos Dacanay and Ismael Manaligod, and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officers of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya.#Reports from DENR ROII