Clean air advocates to discuss financing mechanisms on 4th Annual Clean Air Forum

Saturday, 28 July 2012 00:00 |

Over 200 advocates and supporters from the government, private sector and the civil society will tackle financing mechanisms to strengthen the implementation of air quality improvement programs in the country on July 30-31, 2012 at the Crowne Plaza, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Also expected to keynote the events are Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje and Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas.

Organized by the Partnership for Clean Air, in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the 4th Annual Forum aims to provide a venue for exchanging innovative ideas on how and where to source funds for programs and projects on clean air.

With the theme, “Financing Mechanisms for Clean Air Strategies and Technologies,” speakers from Clean Air Initiative-Asia, Department of Transportation and Communications, Metro Manila Development Authority, Metro Manila Anti-Smoke Belching Association (MMASBA), Bank of the Philippine Islands, Foundation for Sustainable Societies, Inc., Peace and Equity Foundation, and Foundation for Philippine Environment are all set to discuss various financing schemes during the two-day forum.

The annual gathering is being held in support of the Clean Air 10 Declaration signed by clean air advocates in 2009. The declaration highlighted 10 attainable goals that different sectors can work on to help government achieve its goal of improving the quality of air in the country.

Strategies identified to reduce emissions include the shift to environment-friendly fuel types, reduction in the sulfur content of fuel, introduction of vehicle emissions control technology, implementation of vehicle inspection and maintenance program, implementation of improved traffic management plans, establishment of ambient air quality monitoring network, implementation of stricter motor vehicle standards, improvement in operator driving skills, strengthening of monitoring of private emission testing centers, among others.###

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

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