Paje directs full investigation on illegal logging in Agusan del Sur, thanks DILG, Butuan mayor for assistance

Friday, 15 June 2012 00:00 |

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje today ordered a full investigation on the continued illegal logging in Agusan del Sur, even as he thanked the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr. for providing timely assistance in the confiscation of some 4,214 pieces of undocumented logs in the city.

“We fully appreciate the continued support of the DILG, including our local officials in Butuan City led by Mayor Amante. This is another testament to the effectiveness of engaging local government units in the national agenda of protecting and managing their natural resources within their respective political jurisdiction,” Paje said.

Paje’s commendation of DILG’s and Amante’s support stemmed from the successful apprehension of some 4,214 pieces of logs last June 4 in Butuan City. The seized logs reportedly came from the forest areas of San Luis and La Paz towns in Agusan del Sur.

Despite this, Paje ordered a full investigation on allegations that local DENR monitoring teams failed to apprehend the said logs while being rafted through the Agusan River.

At least two mobile DENR monitoring teams have been mobilized to monitor illegal logging along the 390-kilometer stretch of the river, specifically in Talacogon in Agusan del Sur and in Las Nieves in Agusan del Norte.

The apprehended logs, consisting mostly of red and white lauan and the four pumpboats, are now in the custody of the government.
The city government of Butuan is providing police protection and security to the confiscated logs.

EnvironmentNatural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje rallied last week his field officials to ensure the success of the National Greening Program, saying the program has full support of the President.

“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

< Prev		Next >