DENR prohibits land titling in proposed protected areas
Monday, 12 December 2011 00:00
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The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is suspending all activities relating to land titling in areas proposed for declaration into protected areas. The suspension is based on DENR Memorandum Order No. 2011-04, which provides the guidelines in regulating all activities, projects and land uses in all areas proposed for inclusion in the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS). DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said the move is to “ease environmental pressure caused by human settlements on areas that naturally maintain ecological processes, provide life support systems, and preserve biodiversity.” Under the order, the suspension shall cover survey and processing of all public land applications (PLAs) for titling purposes. Paje, however, clarified that the suspension shall only be effective on the actual date of submission of the draft proclamation by the DENR’s regional office, which has jurisdiction over the area, to the DENR Central Office in Quezon City. Also suspended starting on the same date is the processing of applications for lease, license or permit of any project or activity within the identified area, as well as the acceptance of new applications “except for projects that are compatible with the objectives of the NIPAS.” In cases, however, where the Office of the President decides to disapprove the proposed proclamation, the DENR shall lift the suspension on said activities. In line with this, Paje ordered land management officers from the DENR’s field offices and the Land Management Bureau to ensure that survey and administrative titling activities comply with Memorandum Order 4. “Any responsible officer or personnel who fail to comply [with MO 4] shall be penalized accordingly,” the DENR chief warned. Protected areas (PAs), as defined in Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), are portions of land and water with unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biodiversity and protected against destructive human exploitation. PAs are categorized as nature or resource reserves; natural parks, monuments, or biotic areas; wildlife sanctuaries; protected land or seascapes; or as established by law, conventions or international agreements. Data from the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of DENR indicate that there are currently 239 protected areas included in the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), covering a total area of 5.4 million hectares. Of the total, 111 have already been officially as such, encompassing a total area of 3.5 million hectares. Of these declared PAs, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau Director Mundita Lim said 82 are terrestrial PAs, with a total area of 2.1 million hectares, of which 374,908.5 hectares are within alienable and disposable (A & D) lands. |
“There is no reason to fail considering that President Aquino has amply given all the support this program (NGP) needs to succeed,” Paje told the regional executive directors (REDs), regional technical directors, and the provincial and community environment and natural resources officers (PENROs, CENROs) attending the 2-day National Convention of Field Officers held May 31-June 1, 2011 at the DENR Social Hall in Quezon City.
Paje also challenged the field officials “to give their best shot” as their performance in implementing the NGP will be “highly taken into consideration’ in the evaluation of officials for promotions.
“Those who will be performing will be rewarded. Wala pong biro yan,” Paje said, stressing that the field officers will be evaluated fairly based on a purely-merit system “without regard for personal ties or past associations” he has made through over 20 years at the DENR where he started his career as a casual forester.
Paje said the NGP-driven performance-based incentive scheme will first zero in on the PENRO and CENRO positions, with an instruction to DENR Assistant Secretary for Management and Finance Corazon Davis to reserve the vacant PENRO and CENRO posts as rewards for NGP’s top performers especially those that are on an acting capacity.
“If you are a CENRO, you will automatically become a PENRO. Those who are not yet full-pledged CENRO (with temporary appointment), we will make you full-pledged CENROs. Performance lamang, wala nang iba,” Paje stressed.
Of the 168 CENRO plantilla positions, 47 have yet to be filled; while 25 remain vacant in the 73 PENRO plantilla posts.
The incentive scheme forms part of Paje’s overall program to strengthen DENR’s performance-based promotion system to beef up the national leadership’s efforts in professionalizing the Philippine bureaucracy.
But Paje was quick to clarify that the quality of their performance will be determined by the survival of the seedling declared in their performance and not merely on the number of seedling planted.
“Remember, the NGP is a national priority program of President Aquino, and this is not for show but for grow. Gone are the days when tree planting activities were just to set world records or just for photo opportunities,” Paje noted.
At the same time, Paje asked “doubting Thomases” to be forthcoming this early with their hesitation to go all out to meet their targets to allow for management to act appropriately in their particular case.
“We will make sure that everybody performs. Kung sino sa inyo ang tingin ay hindi kayang ipatupad ang programang ito, sabihin na ninyo ngayon,” Paje said.
The performance-based incentive will be based on the field officials’ scorecard in the yearly targets given them and will be validated with the use of state-of-the art technology such as satellite mapping and internet-based technology through NGP’s website at the www.ngp.denr.gov.ph
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