Press Releases

DENR BICOL JOINS BICOL YOUTH LEADERSHIP CAMP

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol headed by Regional Executive Director (RED) Francisco E. Milla, Jr., CESO III through its Regional Youth Desk Officers participated in the Serbisyo Caravan of the Bicol Youth Leadership Camp: Improving Youth Participation in Local Governance with the theme, “Mga Jovenes na Bikolano para sa Marhay na Pag-Gobierno” spearheaded by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Bicol on March 5, 2022 at the Coastal View Beach Resort, Sto. Domingo, Albay.

The Bicol Youth Leadership Camp aims to provide an avenue for the youth to actively participate in local governance and capacitate them as responsible youth leaders.

Some 66 youth leaders of various barangays, schools, religious, and youth organizations from selected areas in the province of Albay and representatives of National Government Agencies (NGAs) participated in the event.

Information, education, and communication (IEC) materials such as shirts, water bottles, and ecobags from the DENR Tayo Ang Kalikasan (TAK), a collaborative project of the DENR and its citizens toward responsible development of natural resources and ensure the restoration, rehabilitation, and enhancement of the environment were distributed.

The event also served as an avenue for the youth leaders to seek assistance from the DENR Bicol on their request for seedlings and issues on solid waste management.

Moreover, the DENR Bicol also participated in the Solution-Seeking Dialogue wherein pressing issues identified by the youth were addressed by the NGAs and will be consolidated by the DILG Bicol for report and further action.

The DENR Bicol continuously supports NGAs in their activities to enhance the active participation of the public.###      

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DENR BICOL SUPPORTS BULUSAN ECO-ADVENTOURS LAUNCH

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) V headed by Regional Executive Director (RED) Francisco E. Milla, Jr., CESO III and other key officials took part in the blessing and inauguration of the Bulusan Eco-Tourism Center and Facilities spearheaded by the Provincial Tourism, Culture and Arts Office of Sorsogon on March 5, 2022 at the Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (BVNP), San Roque, Bulusan, Sorsogon.
 
The event kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and blessing of the Bulusan Eco-Tourism facilities led by Governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero, RED Milla, Department of Tourism (DOT) V Regional Director (RD) Herbie B. Aguas and Bulusan Mayor Mike G. Guysayko.
 
In his message, RED Milla expressed his gratitude to Governor Escudero, Mayor Guysayko and RD Aguas for their efforts to enhance the BVNP as an ecotourism site, as well as in helping the DENR carry out its mandate to protect, conserve and manage the environment and natural resources under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-NIPAS) Act of 2018.
 
RED Milla said that DENR will remain steadfast on its goal to protect, conserve and manage BVNP vis-à-vis the possible economic returns that the BVNP may offer to the community, the province and the whole nation.
The BVNP is one of the landscapes in the country that seemingly remains natural and undisturbed. The Bulusan Lake covers 27 hectares and is surrounded by various species of flora and fauna. Four (4) of the 72 species of terrestrial fauna recorded in the lake were listed as high conservation priority base on their global status under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species such as the Golden-Crowned Flying Fox, Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat, Philippine Warty Pig, and Luzon Tarictic Hornbill.
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3 SERPENT EAGLES RELEASED ON 2022 WORLD WILDLIFE DAY

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol headed by Regional Executive Director Francisco E. Milla, Jr., CESO III spearheaded the release of three (3) Philippine serpent eagles (Spilornis holospilus) at the Mt. Masaraga Campsite, Barangay Amtic, Ligao City on March 3, 2022 in celebration of the 2022 World Wildlife Day.
 
With the theme, “Recovering Key Species For Ecosystem Restoration”, the release was witnessed by the participants from the Albay Parks and Wildlife (APW), Local Government Units of Albay, Ligao City and Barangay Amtic, Mt. Masaraga Watershed Forest Reserve (MMWFR) Protected Area Management Board (MMWR-PAMB), and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Guinobatan. The Campsite management and media partners also witnessed the said release.
 
APW Resident Veterinarian Dr. Franz V. Colambo and Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Pancho R. Mella discussed the key features, proper care, conservation and importance of the Philippine serpent eagle. The experts emphasized that the population of the said species and all other wildlife will face threats once forests become disturbed and lost through anthropological activities and climate change.
 
“Protect our wildlife to protect ourselves”, Regional Executive Director Francisco E. Milla, Jr., said in his message. He reiterated that the DENR Bicol, as the government agency concerned on the vast scope of the environment and natural resources will continue to boost its effort for the attainment of enhanced biodiversity conservation.
 
The three (3) serpent eagles released were turned over and taken cared of by the Albay Parks and Wildlife before its release.
 
The 2022 World Wildlife Day celebration serves as a reminder on the significant role of the society in order to attain a balanced and healthy ecology for the present and the generations yet unborn.
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OVER 13,000 WATERBIRDS SIGHTED DURING THE ANNUAL ASIAN WATERBIRD CENSUS IN BICOL

Over thirteen thousand (13,000) waterbirds were sighted during the recently conducted Annual Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) in the Bicol Region.
 
The AWC in the region was spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol led by the Conservation and Development Division (CDD) through its Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Section (PAMBCS) together with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offices (PENROs) and Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENROs), various Local Government Units (LGUs) and some bird photographers.
 
The identified sites for the AWC were the Cabusao Critical Habitat at Cabusao, Camarines Sur, Naro and Chico Island Wildlife Sanctuaries at Cawayan, Masbate, Juban Wetlands Critical Habitat and Prieto Diaz Wetlands in Sorsogon, Mercedes Critical Habitat at Mercedes, Camarines Norte, Panganiban Wetlands at Panganiban, Catanduanes, Bongsanglay Natural Park at Batuan, Masbate, Lake Bato at Barangay Buga, Libon, Albay and Malison Lake in Ligao City, respectively.
 
Some of the waterbirds sighted were Cinnamon Bittern, Yellow Bittern, Great Cormorant, White-browed Crake, Tufted Duck, Wandering Whistling Duck, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Pacific Reef Egret, Garganey, Black-headed Gull, Black-crowned Night Heron, Grey Heron, Nankeen Night Heron, Pacific Reef Heron, Pond Heron, Purple Heron, Rufous Night Heron, Striated Heron, Common Moorhen, Northern Pintail, Greater Sand Plover, Grey Plover, Kentish Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Barred Rail, Broad-bellied Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Northern Shoveler, Black Winged Stilt, Long-toed Stint, Green-winged Teal, Common Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, White-breasted Waterhen, Whimbrel, and Eurasian Wigeon.
The presence of vulnerable species such as Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica), Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) and Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotes), and near threatened species such as Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis), Grey-tailed Tatler (Tringa brevipes), and Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) were also recorded.
 
DENR Bicol Regional Executive Director Francisco E. Milla, Jr., CESO III enjoins the public in bird watching or birding as well as in the protection and conservation activities of wildlife species and their habitat biodiversity, which is in accordance with Republic Act (RA) No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
 
The AWC is held every January, which coincides with other international census of waterbirds in Africa, Europe and Neotropics under the umbrella of the International Waterbird Census (IWC).
 
The conduct of AWC aimed to provide a baseline data on the estimates and monitor the changes of waterbird population, improve knowledge of waterbird species and wetland sites, identify and monitor sites that are important for waterbirds in general and those sites that may qualify as “Wetlands of International Importance” under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and increase the awareness on the importance of waterbirds and their habitat.
 
Photos courtesy of DENR Bicol Conservation and Development Division
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DENR BICOL TO PURSUE ISO CERTIFICATION AMID PANDEMIC

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol is on the process of obtaining its ISO 9001:2015 certification despite the ongoing threats of the COVID19 pandemic.

The Office through its Management Services led by OIC, Assistant Regional Director for Management Services Grace L. Cariño, PhD conducted an awareness training on the Quality Management System (QMS) and the practical application of the said ISO on February 14 to 15 and 17, 2022 at the DENR V Hamada Hall, Rawis, Legazpi City.

The awareness training was participated in by the key officials and employees of the Regional Office, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offices (PENROs) and Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENROs) and facilitated by Engr. Grace P. Daria-Rabacal of the SHENDAR International Certifications. Engr. Rabacal discussed the overview of the ISO certification, evaluated sample documents of the Process Manuals and Risks/Opportunities Analysis and Action Planning (ROAAP) form, and how to plan and conduct effective and efficient internal audit.

The awareness training was then followed by the start of the Internal Quality Audit (IQA) of the DENR Regional and Field Offices.

The IQA aims to assess the effectiveness of the DENR’s QMS and its overall performance which will end by March 2022.

“We are committed in achieving one of the highest international standards on quality assurance and services. Through this, we will be able to uplift our agency and provide excellent public service. We need to achieve consistency in our core processes and to address the issues arising from the processes,” Regional Executive Director Francisco E. Milla, Jr., CESO III said.

Moreover, another upcoming audit by external auditors of the DENR Central Office will be conducted starting April until May 2022.

The DENR aims to have all its Regional and Field Offices ISO certified nationwide.###

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