Los Baños, Laguna - The Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) launched ERDB Youth’s EcoYouth Podcast on June 3 via Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify. It is a four-episode podcast that aims to feature different individuals and their stories in raising awareness in the youth sector about the most pressing concerns on the environment and natural resources (ENR).

The podcast will feature previous youth desk officers Donnabel Hintural and Ann Valerie Gillado for the episode “Blast from the Past towards a Sustainable Future” to talk about the various initiatives of ERDB Youth program. For the second episode, Joel Chester Pagulayan of Oxfam Pilipinas and Alyssa Gabrielle Camacho of UP Ecology and Systematics Major Students Society explores the different ways for the youth to get involved in environmental problems.

In the third episode, Kenneth Gray Alebio and Emil Pacimos, winners of the digital and traditional poster-making contest, elaborate on the role of art in awakening environmental consciousness. There is also a special episode on the role of women and the environment that will feature Miss Earth Canada 2022 Jessica Victoria Cianchino. The last episode serves as a call to action for youth to shape the future of nature together with ERDB Director Maria Lourdes G. Ferrer.

The ERDB Youth program is the primary arm of the Bureau in conducting information, education, and communication campaigns and extension activities targeted toward the youth to increase their awareness of pressing ENR concerns and engage them in the protection and conservation of the natural resources.

Updates regarding the podcast are available on ERDB’s Facebook page. / Allysa Marie C. Federio, TTD

For further information, you may contact:

MARIA LOURDES G. FERRER, CESO III
Director
Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau
Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone Number: (049) 536-2269

JUAN B. EBORA
Chief, Technology Transfer Division
Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau
Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone Number: 049-536-2269 local 222

For media inquiries, you may contact:

ALLYSA MARIE C. FEDERIO
Media Production Specialist II
Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau
Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone Number: 049-536-2269 local 224
Mobile Number: 0966-557-9901

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Published: 20 June 2022

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has given recognition to volunteers and partners who had significant contribution to the cleanup and rehabilitation of Manila Bay during the “Manila Bayani Awards” ceremony on June 14.

DENR Acting Secretary Jim O. Sampulna led the recognition of local government units (LGUs), private organizations, river rangers, and individuals in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Luzon for their active participation in the Manila Bay rehabilitation program.

Among those who received the Manila Bay Awards were former DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Danilo Lim, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, Senator-elect and former Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, National Irrigation Administration Senior Deputy Administrator and former DENR Undersecretary Benny D. Antiporda, and environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr.

Villar SIPAG Foundation, Wild Bird Club, Asian Terminal Inc., Brgy. 412 in Sampaloc, Manila, and environmental planner Jason Villeza were also recognized for their initiatives to install trash traps and organize cleanup drives, tree planting activities, and education campaigns in Metro Manila.

The “river rangers” of Bacoor City, Cavite City, and the municipalities of Naic, Kawit, and Noveleta in the province of Cavite, were recognized for their commitment to clear creeks, rivers, estuaries and other waterways of illegal structures to prevent pollutants from draining into the Manila Bay.

Completing the list of awardees were the LGUs of Balanga, Bataan; Marilao, Bulacan; Sasmuan, Pampanga; Palayan, Nueva Ecija; and Pampanga, as partners of DENR in its rehabilitation efforts in Central Luzon through cleanup drives and implementation of solid waste management initiatives.

Senator Cynthia Villar was also a special awardee for her support in the rehabilitation program and other environmental initiatives.

Sampulna also attributed the success of the Manila Bay rehabilitation program to the “strong will” of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to accomplish a monumental task.

“We would not have accomplished our task without the people and organizations who helped us as we journey along our rehabilitation and cleanup efforts. We have a lot of heroes amid all this,” Sampulna said during the awarding ceremony.

“We pay tribute to individuals, organizations, and offices from the government and private sectors for their hard work, commitment, and support in implementing the Manila Bay rehabilitation program,” he added.

The first Manila Bayani Awards was held during the launch of the Manila Bay’s beach nourishment program in September 2020. ###

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Published: 19 June 2022

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has organized traditional Filipino games for employees to foster team camaraderie and local culture, as part of the agency’s 35th founding anniversary celebration on June 13-17.

According to DENR Acting Secretary Jim O. Sampulna, the event known as “Palarong Pinoy,” is a “good way to re-energize our employees as the country gradually recovers from the pandemic and reinforce team spirit, boost mental health, and bring back fond memories of childhood.”

The week-long activity showcased traditional Filipino games, such as “bato-bato pick,” “bunong braso,” “hampas-palayok,” Jackstones, “kadang-kadang,” “luksong-lubid,” “palo-sebo,” “patintero,” “piko,” “sipa,” “sungka,” “tumbang preso,” and “pabitin.”

Employees from various DENR offices who took part in the activities were grouped into different teams or “barangays.”

“We have activities for our employees almost every day for the entire month of June. We aim that our personnel will have fun, bonding, and enjoyment as these are well-deserved amid their hard work for the Department,” Sampulna said.

He added: “With Palarong Pinoy, I hope it contributes to the overall well-being of our employees so we can work better and become a stronger organization in the years ahead.”

With this year’s DENR anniversary theme “Pistang Pamilyang DENR para sa Tuloy-Tuloy na Pagkakaisa at Tagumpay,” the DENR bureaus and regional offices also simultaneously hold their respective Palarong Pinoy and anniversary activities.

The organization of the anniversary festivities is a directive from Sampulna in recognition of the officials and employees as drivers in the fulfillment of DENR’s mandates.

DENR Employees Union (DENREU) vice president for membership and grievances Ethel De Guzman said she has received positive feedback so far among the players and audiences as many are currently joining and enjoying the games.

“Rest and recreation activities are important for the workforce today to de-stress and refresh. Although, at the end of the day, we return to our respective work, we cannot replace the kind of fun and excitement that Palarong Pinoy can bring to our employees,” said De Guzman, one of the organizers of the event.

Recently concluded were patintero, a group game where a team is challenged to “attack” and prevent another team to pass through a finish line, and kadang-kadang, a game where players of each team race to the finish line while stepping on coconut shells.
Two members from the winning teams—Ronie M. Mamado, a monitoring officer from the Office of the Secretary (OSEC) and Reggie Sambajon, an administrative assistant from the Knowledge and Information Systems Service (KISS)—said their participation in the patintero fostered camaraderie among their teammates and brought them back to their memories of elementary school.

Moreover, Jovan Christian Opeña, an administrative assistant from the Financial Management Service (FMS), and a team member who won the 1st place in the kadang-kadang, said that it was a stress-reliever from his workload and a source of happiness as he got to enjoy the game with his co-employees.

Palarong Pinoy is organized by DENR’s Human Resource Development Service, Kalipunan ng mga Kawani sa Kagawaran ng Kalikasan, and DENREU.

DENR offices include the OSEC, Task Force Tayo ang Kalikasan, Environment Law Enforcement Service, Internal Audit Service, Office of the Undersecretaries, Manila Bay Coordinating Office, Office of the Assistance Secretaries and River Basin Coordinating Office, Administrative Service, Climate Change Service, and Gender and Development Office.

It also includes the CARP National Coordinating Office, Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Service, Human Resource Development Service, Legal Affairs Service, Planning and Policy Service, Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service, FMS, KISS, and Quality Management System Secretariat. ###

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Published: 18 June 2022

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has named Panlibutahan River in Valencia, Bukidnon as the top winner in the 2021 R.I.V.E.Rs or Recognizing Institutions/Individuals Towards Vibrant and Enhanced Rivers for Life Awards.

The 2nd and 3rd place winners were the Apayao-Abulug River in the Cordillera Administrative Region and Taguibo River in Butuan City, respectively.

DENR Acting Secretary Jim O. Sampulna said the continuous recognition of most improved rivers is a “testament that the DENR’s men and women are consistent with achieving the agency’s vision and mission.”

He added: “Since its launch in 2018, the R.I.V.E.Rs for Life Awards aims to bring out the best in the DENR’s roster of executives in the field. This inspires us to continue this endeavor in the years to come.”

The award was established through DENR Special Order No. 2019-314.

Rivers that are potential entries to the award are those which are previously classified as Class C and became much cleaner through the constant efforts of DENR field offices.

Class C pertains to fishery water intended for propagation and growth of fish and other aquatic resources.

DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations for Luzon and Visayas and Environment Juan Miguel T. Cuna handed over the awards during the DENR’s 35th founding anniversary on June 10, as part of the recognition of individuals and institutions for their effective implementation of environmental laws and initiatives toward water quality management and conservation.

DENR-Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) has also given Panlibatuhan River a recognition in 2020 for its successful rehabilitation led by the Bukidnon provincial government.

Through partnerships, regular community clean-ups, and proper solid waste management, the city government of Valencia in Bukidnon province was able to clean and improve the water quality of Panlibatuhan River.

“We are passionate about the life-changing work we do for the R.I.V.E.Rs for Life project with the goal of finding sustainable and environmentally relevant solutions including revitalizing the biological heart of the river and improving water quality to support new life,” Cuna said.

“The success of the R.I.V.E.Rs for Life project will affect many lives positively and will bring enduring benefits to Philippine communities,” he pointed out.

Rivers are vulnerable to pollution from agricultural farms, household, untreated water mula sa sewage at industries jeopardizing its condition and capability to provide food and other purposes.

In the Philippines, there are 18 major river basins and 421 principal and small rivers, of which 379 are classified under Class C.

The R.I.V.E.Rs for Life Awards was launched to recognize the efforts of supervising and implementing Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officers (PENROs) and Community Environment and Natural Resources Officers (CENROs) to achieve the cleanest state of the rivers in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

It also aims to raise awareness of the need to protect and conserve the country’s rivers as the lifeblood of the earth and the human civilization; to tap concerted actions to protect the country’s universal degradation and pollution; and to assure their sustainability, suitability and their further improvement for their designated use for classification.

The winners were judged based on river water quality improvement interventions, solid waste management, partnership and community mobilization, and other activities, including information and education initiatives for environmental protection and conservation. ###

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Published: 16 June 2022

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Published: 15 June 2022