Assistant Secretary for Enforcement Daniel Darius Nicer, together with the personnel of Watershed and Water Resource Research Development and Extension Center headed by Helen Maddumba, led a study on water interception capacity of trees in Wright Park, Baguio City.
Water interception capacity is the amount of water that the parts of a tree can intercept before it reaches the soil.
Knowing the water interception capacity of different types of trees will help in determining the kind of vegetation needed to prevent calamities such as flooding, surface run off, and other related environmental problems especially during the rainy season.
Said study started last year with experiments on the water interception capacity of pine trees then recently, on agoho trees.
Asec Nicer and his personnel also connected with nature through a forest bathing/ hiking in the Yellow Trail.
Having been excellent in four core management areas which are recruitment, selection & placement; learning and development; performance management; and rewards and recognition, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR was awarded Bronze medal under Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management - Human Resource Management (PRIME - HRM). The award was given by the Civil Service Commission-CAR.
"We are happy and proud that you are one of the very few agencies (who have achieved this). We hope that it won't just be an award but more importantly, a matter of how you maintain this and how you would even compete with yourself as an agency to raise it to level three," said CSC-Cordillera Regional Director Victoria F. Esber.
DENR-CAR Regional Executive Director Engr. Ralph C. Pablo expressed his gratitude to the employees in working together to achieve the Bronze level despite the pandemic and challenged them that " Everyday must be an improvement day."
The achievement will also not be possible without the recognition of the clients of the excellent services rendered by the Department. This, Engr. Pablo said adding that the DENR-CAR ranked number one in the Client Satisfaction Survey of the DENR nationwide.
The enhanced PRIME aims to transform the agencies' Human Resource Management Systems, competencies and practices to a level of excellence that fosters good governance. CSC implements the program to insitutionalize meritocracy and excellence in HRM.
In 2016, CSC enhanced the PRIME HRM such that it adopted to the maturity level indicators that are aligned with global standards of good people management practices.
A series of information dissemination campaign on PD 1067 or the Water Code of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations is being conducted by the Water Resources Utilization Section (WRUS) of the Licenses Patents and Deeds Division (LPDD) of the DENR-CAR in the province of Kalinga about acquisition of water rights.
The eight municipalities in the province is clustered into four with diferrent schedules from March to September 2022. The participants are barangay and municipal officials incharge of the Committee on Environment, Health and Sanitation.
In September 2021, 64 water related business concessionaires such as refilling stations, recreation resorts and hotels from different barangays of Tabuk were served with show cause orders from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) for failure to comply with the provisions of the Water Code specifically the lack of necessary permit for their water source. This stemmed from the findings in an inspection conducted by said office during the latter part of 2021.
Article 13 of PD 1067 states that "Except as other herein provided, no person including government instrumentalities or government owned or controlled corporations, shall appropriate water without a water right, which shall be evidenced by a document known as water permit."
Of these establishments served with show cause orders, two are undergoing the process necessary in acquiring the needed permit. Tabuk Water has already submitted its documents directly to the NRWB main office. Likewise, Atawe Refilling Station is working on its Certificate of Non-coverage (CNC). CNC a is a permit granted by the Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR for projects that are not expected to have significant impacts on the environment. It is a basic requirement in applying for a Water Permit.
NWRB is the national coordinating and regulating agency on water resources management and development. On the other hand, WRUS serves as NWRB's deputy in the DENR Offices to perform some functions relative to regulation of water use.
Next to these information campaign is the conduct of inventory of all water sources.
Top executive officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR commenced a three-day Regional Management Conference at Appas, Tabuk City, Kalinga.
The management conference is attended by DENR-CAR led by the Regional Executive Director (RED) Engr. Ralph C. Pablo, Assistant Regional Director (ARD) for Management Atty. Cleo D. Sabado-Andrada, Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services For. Maximo Soriano, other Division Chiefs and Bureau Officials, PENROs, MSD, TSD, and CENROS from the six provinces.
Kalinga Representative Hon. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang of the lone district of Kalinga and Governor representative Elizabeth II D. Balais of the province of Kalinga graced the opening of the first quarter RMC.
In his message, Mangaoang mentioned that during the past two congresses of which he was the Senior Vice-Chairman on Committee on Natural resources and committee on Ecology, he was able to pass numerous laws demanding accountability for environmental violations providing impetus to incorporate environmental concerns into planning and policy making. He pointed out that our laws on climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction are lauded as “best in the world”. However, it has been noted that the challenge is how to translate national policies, plans and programs into actions with measurable gains. He, therefore, emphasized that the DENR plays the most vital role as front liners in the overall action towards reverting the environmental upheaval we now experience.
Elizabeth II D. Balais, Executive Assistant, read the message of Gov. Ferdinand D. Tubban applauded our efforts in the implementation of the DENR’s priority projects/programs and the many endeavors in enforcing environmental laws. The Governor encouraged DENR-CAR officials to offer constructive and sound advices to CAR LGU’s to better guide them in policy-planning and decision-making.
ARD for Management Services, Atty. Cleo D. Sabado-Andrada, reminded the officials to go extra mile. “We should go out and see what is out there in our respective jurisdictions. It is not enough that we read and hear reports from our staff. We have to check them ourselves, so we could verify the facts on-site; talk to people, if necessary; and to be better apprised of issues that we have to address, if any. Field visits are not merely for photo opportunities to be attached on our accomplishment reports. Let us do it as part of our jobs and not just for mere compliance,” she said.
RED Engr. Ralph C. Pablo congratulated the employees of DENR-CAR for qualifying to the 2020 Performance Based Bonus (PBB). He also apprised the participants on the newly approved DENR Manual of Authorities on Human Resources Development and Administrative Matters and for Technical Matters. For this conference, he encouraged everyone to share and strategize on how to attain our targets ahead of time. In his final statement, the RED enjoined everyone to stay humble in providing service to the people.
“When women are empowered we know how to act on our lowest moments and bring ourselves up to the highest possible moments of our lives.” These are the words of empowerment given by Assistant Regional Director for Management Services and DENR-CAR Chairperson, Regional GAD Focal Point System, Atty. Cleo D. Sabado-Andrada said during the culminating program of the month-long celebration of the Women’s Month.
She noted that celebrations such as the Women's Month is a high time to educate and empower women to know their rights and privileges and whatever there is to know to protect themselves against any kind of inequality and abuse.
Dwelling on the theme "Women Make Change amidst Climate Crisis and COVID-19", Obstetrician-Gynecologist Dr. Elizabeth Macli-ing-Solang, who served as guest speaker, reiterated in her talk women's contribution in communities in times of environmental crises and in the outbreak of infectious diseases. Further, she pointed out how women in the Cordilleras showed their flexibility and resilience in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The brief program was concluded by an awarding ceremony for the winners of a jingle-making and infographics contests that centered on the Women's Month theme.
In the Philippines, the Women’s Month Celebration has since served as a venue to highlight women’s achievements and discuss continuing and emerging women’s empowerment and gender equality issues and concerns, challenges, and commitments.