Today’s environmental situation is worsening. For the longest time, we, humans keep doing things, which affects the environment. We continuously participate in destroying Mother Nature. Now, it is very evident that our wrongdoings are getting back at us.

Climate Change Wreaking havoc: Misery

The earth is now polluted due to destructive human activities. These activities contribute to the worsening effects of climate change including increase in temperature, drought, typhoons, landslide, wildfires, among others. Such catastrophes continue to threaten lives and properties all over the globe.

Weeks ago, our country suffered from Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses, affecting Luzon, particularly, the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Catanduanes, Albay and some parts of Metro Manila. Typhoon Rolly caused storm surges, landslides and lahar flow. Typhoon Ulysses, on the other hand, submerged houses and agricultural fields because of heavy rains. Cagayan Region was flooded. Residents were stranded and waited for hours to be rescued. Despite being vigilant and prepared during calamities, they were not able to withstand Ulysses’ impact. In the wake of typhoons, loss of life, damage to property, lack of food, clothing, potable water and power outage are the critical results.

Long term fight

Now, that the world is facing climate crisis, we should acknowledge the fact that we have a stronger enemy – the environment. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has proven that climate change does exist. According to NASA, human activities since the mid-20th century affected the climate system of the Earth, which resulted to global temperature rise, warming ocean, ocean acidification and sea level rise. Moreover, Climate Central, a news organization that analyzes climate science, projected that coastal areas in Asia including Philippines are at risk of coastal flood due to sea level rise and may submerge by 2050 because of population growth and human-made pollution. Apparently, millions of people will not survive if destruction and degradation of natural resources will not stop. Philippines alone, as one of the fastest growing population in Asia, contributes high quantity of waste. Add to that are other illegal activities, which create imbalance in the ecosystem that looms human existence.

Nature’s Combatants

On the brighter side, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other concerned agencies and organizations are doing its best to safeguard the environment, allowing the earth to regain its health to ensure environment sustainability for everyone. These agencies and organizations strongly appeal to stop illegal misconduct to the environment that threatens the ecosystem and seek to put in efforts to conserve our environment. “Climate change is a reality that will continually grip us if we do not take action. Protecting the country’s peatlands is a solid step that the Department is taking to help reverse the impacts of climate change”, DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said. The DENR, as the primary government agency responsible for the conservation, protection and management of our natural resources continues to reinforce programs such as, Clean Air, Responsible Mining, Intensified Forest Protection, Anti-Illegal Logging, and the National Greening Program (NGP), among others, to ensure a cleaner and greener future for all. Also, committed to address climate change and provide a greener and healthier environment to all Filipinos, the DENR continuously conducts Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) Programs and Information, Education Campaigns (IEC) as channels to disseminate environmental knowledge and services to the public.

Likewise, many environmental advocates also plea for help and encourage people to take part and save our only planet. The campaign to revive the Earth must be seriously prioritized. Concerted efforts in saving the environment must be realized so that the government’s vision of becoming a climate risk-resilient country can be realized.

New Start

Traumatic times have passed for now, but we must learn from it. We should try to adapt in all of these changes, however, let us bear in mind that we cannot beat nature’s power. We must end our role as villains of the planet instead be one of its vanguards, because failure to protect and conserve the environment will result to more devastating consequences. What we destroy will destroy us, nevertheless even in the darkest nights, there will always be light, light that will bring hope, if only we become responsible stewards of Mother Nature.

Details

Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Features

Published: 17 December 2020

Curiosity is what makes a person start doing something that interests him; inspiration to continue doing it but it is PASSION and DEDICATION that makes a person keep going despite the unfavorable circumstances that may come along with it. Between the Passion and Dedication, there is Choice which is fundamental to achieving success and ultimately self-fulfillment. These are what exactly Narisol Carbon-Divina possesses which helped her reach the apex of success.

Her enthusiasm in protecting the environment was developed at a very young age. Her family lives in a rural community in Pangasinan and owns a humble farm in the area where she and her siblings spent most of their growing years helping their parents manage their farmland. As a daughter of farmers, she was exposed to the practices and challenges of maintaining, conserving and improving their source of sustenance. No wonder that in her early years, she was able to acquire basic knowledge of economics, soils, hydrology, and plant taxonomy, among others. She was also taught the importance of the environment and the benefits it gives to people. Furthermore, she learned how to utilize the resources responsibly so that younger generations of the family may also enjoy those same resources.

Her interests in conservation, protection and management have not only confined to their farmland but also broadened so as to include forests. She briefly considered other career paths but her love for the environment prevailed. She wanted to become a steward of our forest resources and instill her knowledge of forestry into others through community immersion. With these, she decided to pursue BS Forestry at the University of the Philippines Los Banos in Laguna and earned a degree.

After passing the licensure exam, she found herself working at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as a forester in PENRO Sorsogon. From then, she knew, her life would be dedicated in protecting Mother Nature. Her work adventures in the deepest recesses of the mountains had never been a walk in the park. She and her team have always been dealing with different circumstances in the field. May it be interaction with wildlife, dealing with the community, or working in worst weather conditions. Despite those situations, she never dared to leave the Department. She loved her work, and loves it still. Her dedication is incommensurable, so strong that nothing could stop her from responding to the call of duty. While her job requires extreme laborious work, she still considers it as fun and rewarding for she is able to contribute to the environment’s wellness and gain insights and skills. Now 52 years old and 30 years in service, Narisol’s enthusiasm for the environment never faded. As a matter of fact, she is currently the Officer-in-Charge, CENR Officer of CENRO Guinobatan under the wing of PENRO Albay. Truly, her passion has led her to greater heights.

“I enjoyed my early years in the department just like a fresh grad would enjoy her first job. It was until I found out that working in the DENR means waking up at a very ungodly hour just to capture illegal loggers and apprehend illegally-obtained timber products”, CENRO Divina said. “That’s when I realized that this job is beyond caring for the environment” she added. This is true because being in the technical field, an employee is either trekking the most difficult terrains, crossing the longest river or immersing oneself in far-flung areas. But CENRO Divina appears to have beaten all the difficulties of doing all of these. She still hikes and monitors NGP Sites and Protected Areas with all her energy. Apart from these, she never leaves the office up until the last document of the day has been acted upon.

One of her personnel said, “CENRO Nari is an effective and efficient leader. When it comes to decision-making, she allows us to express our opinions and considers our suggestions. Although she is our boss who does not even need our approval on some matters, she still bring them to the table for us to be informed and to actively take part in the decision-making process. In doing so, we feel that we are not mere staffs under her who have no right to speak our minds rather free and valued personnel. Thus, she earned our respect and admiration. As an efficient leader, she makes every minute counts. I remember when we conducted assessment trail in Mt. Masaraga, after we braved the rain and trekked the muddy mountain for 5 hours making us dead tired, she went back to the Office and stayed longer to take action on the documents. She did not leave until the last document has been acted upon. She does not want the documents to sit on her table for so long.”

CENRO Divina’s staffs also describe her as someone who always face office targets with discipline. She makes sure that at the end of every quarter, employees do not only accomplish the physical target but learn from them as well. She always has that good side reserved for the welfare of her personnel. Moreover, she is best known as that petite supervisor who has a strong personality, resilient in every possible way, may it be work-related or personal matters. These values do not just make her one of the best supervisors but it also builds a strong working force in the office leading to several commendable awards for the past years.

CENRO Guinobatan under her supervision has been consistent with high performance rating from 2017 to present when in it comes to patents and deeds works. Yet, Land Management Inspector Celenia O. Broncate, one of the officials of Patents and Deeds Unit of the Office, was recognized as the Most Outstanding Employee by the Regional Office for CY 2018. Not only that, CENR Office has been wielding great efforts in LAWIN Forest and Biodiversity Protection monitoring assessment embarking the top 5 ranking. The Office was awarded as one of the DENR Eco-friendly Offices by EMB-V, and Best Stakeholder for 2017 Division Brigada Eskwela by School Division Office of Ligao City. This 2019, the Office has also been compliant to the submission of Means of Verifications (MOVs) for the performance assessment of Regional Key Officials for the conferment of the “Environmental Awards for Governance and Leadership Excellence (EAGLE)”.

Being in the public service is a lot of things, and CENRO Divina’s story of curiosity turned passion added with long-term dedication has inspired many to pursue the things that excites them and at the same time, something for the greater good. After all, our purpose as human beings is to live the life as we chose it and contribute something of significance to the society as a whole.###

Details

Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Features

Published: 09 October 2019

In the heydays of the yesteryears, every Filipino adored the beauty of this body of water. With its crystalline surface, tranquil environment and captivating scenery— that’s the Manila Bay our old foks had cherised for a long time. 

Details

Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Features

Published: 30 August 2019

In the faraway Barangay Kalabugao, in the town Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon lives a Philippine eagle with the barangay’s namesake that has been through the extremes of life and death, and now, has fully matured and had her own family.  Kalabugao, a female raptor, is the world’s first case of a rescued and rehabilitated young eagle surviving and successfully breeding after her release back to the wild.  

Details

Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Features

Published: 21 June 2019

Officials and employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), including visitors nowhavethe chance to familiarize themselves with the agency’s priority legislative agenda through an exhibit set up at the DENR Central Office main lobby.

The week-long exhibit, which runs from June 10 to 14,coincides with the 32nd anniversary celebration of the DENR, as well as the 121st Philippine Independence Day.

It showcasesproposals that have been pending in the legislative mill for years but are up for re-filing in the upcoming 18th Congress.

These include: the Land Use Bill (House Bill or HB 5240); amendment in the Mining Law (HB 6259); E-waste Management Bill (HB 2964); and the Delineation of Forest Limits Bill (HB 143).

The exhibit was put up by the DENR Legislative Liaison Office (DLLO), which is headed by Assistant Secretary Joan Lagunda as the agency’s appointed Legislative Liaison Officer.

Lagunda in her message assured the DENR of the DLLO’s steadfast commitment in advancing the interest of the environment.

“Under the present leadership, the environment-loving community can be assured that the LLO is striving to be heard by our revered lawmakers to craft legislations that will empower the Department more in performing its mandate,” she stated.

The exhibit also features a video presentation on the background of the DLLO, as well as the officials who have managed the office. Among these officials are Undersecretaries Ernesto Adobo, Juan Miguel Cuna, and AnalizaRebuelta-Teh; Assistant Secretary Joselin Marcus Fragada; and Director NiloTamoria.

The DLLO is the office tasked to liaise with both houses of Congress regarding all matters impinging on relations between the DENR and the legislative branch.

It is also the official representative of the DENR in the Legislative Liaison System of the Office of the President, with Secretary AdelinoSitoy, head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, as the Chief Legislative Liaison Officer.

Parties interested in pending environmental legislative proposals may contact the DLLO via telephone number 920-1761, or through email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..###

Details

Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Features

Published: 11 June 2019