GAD - DENR V Celebrates Womens Month
  

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is mandated to ensure the judicious use, development, management, renewal and conservation of the country's natural resources as well as the protection and enhancement of the quality of the environment.

Consistent with this mandate were programs, projects and strategies implemented and successfully undertaken in calendar year 2009. Among which is the rehabilitation of degraded natural forests, mangroves and watersheds, promotion of sustainable use and more equitable access enabling stakeholders' participation in the protection and management of these resources and the strict enforcement of forest laws and environmental standards.

This Office likewise conducts Information and Education Campaign (IEC) to educate our people and make them more aware of environmental issues in order to ensure the survival and security of succeeding generations.

We are pleased to report that DENR 5 successfully accomplished its goals and targets as mandated.

Among this year's significant accomplishments is the restoration of 2,980 hectares of degraded forestland through upland reforestation, agro forestry development and assisted natural regeneration in the BRB-covered provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte. The on-going implementation of the watershed management component of the Bicol River Basin Watershed Management Project (BRBWMP), a DENR priority program and project was pursued to improve, enhance and possibly bring back to its pristine state the degraded ecosystems in the Bicol River Basin.

Similarly, under Upland Development Program (UDP), 1,921 hectares of upland forests were restored and or rehabilitated consisting of 724 hectares of forest plantations, 724 hectares agro forestry farms and 473 hectares through enrichment planting and assisted natural regeneration (ANR). This mode of rehabilitating forestlands was implemented in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Sorsogon and Catanduanes. Under this scheme, 1,811 forest land dwellers, farmers, and fisher folks undertook by contract upland development activities like planting of fruit-bearing/forest tree species and agricultural/cash crops in degraded portions of mangroves, coastal, watershed and protected areas.

This Office has also rehabilitated/restored 187 hectares of degraded areas in four (4) Protected Areas in the Bicol Region as follows: 1) Mayon Volcano Natural Park, Albay, 47 has, 2) Abasig, Matogdon Mananap Natural Biotic Area in Camarines Norte 47 has, 3) Juban-Magallanes Watershed Forest Reserve in Sorsogon 47 has and 4) Bulusan Volcano Natural Park in Sorsogon 46 hectares.

These nature-based rehabilitation measures were undertaken to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the people and the environment.

On the utilization of forest resources, DENR 5 has continuously promoted equal access to the region's natural wealth as an important factor in the economic development of the region. In calendar year 2009, a total of one thousand four hundred seventy one (1,471) permits/licenses/leases/agreements were issued to forest land dwellers, private land owners, other forest users and legitimate traders for the proper management and judicious utilization of our natural resources. These issued instruments were strictly and religiously monitored to ensure they are undertaken responsibly and in a sustainable manner to support economic growth and provide jobs and income to urban and rural communities.

Forest protection and anti-illegal logging campaign has been pursued without let up in order to preserve and protect the region's remaining forest lands. This function has been institutionalized as a shared responsibility among Local Government Units (LGUs), Law Enforcement Agencies, Peoples Organization, Multi-Sectoral Forest Protection Committees (MFPC) and civic groups making the strategy more effective than ever. The strict implementation of forest laws and regulations is based on the assumption that anyone who destroys the environment violates the law and the rights of the people to a healthy environment and therefore should be meted with appropriate punishment.

This year's strict campaign against illegal logging has resulted in the apprehension/confiscation of 200.109 cu. meters of forest products consisting of round logs, flitches and lumbers worth P 2,226,863.00, 42 conveyances and 11 equipments (all chainsaws) used in the illegal trade and filed 15 cases in various courts for violation of Section 68 & 77 of PD 705 as amended.

To hasten the delineation of permanent forest boundary lines as well as the assessment and classification of land of the public domain region wide, the Land Evaluation Party was allocated a total budget of P25, 075,000.00 the highest budget ever allocated to finish the region's delineation and assessment activity by 2011.

This year's total accomplishment was 2,074.952 kilometers of forest boundary lines delineated and 27,740.623 hectares assessed in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon. The strategy of delineating forest line boundary was intended to reduce and ease the problem of dealing with resident population on public lands and other areas of the public domain. Delineation is the survey and demarcation on the ground of permanent forest boundary line marked with concrete monuments while site assessment is conducted to determine areas that will be proposed for reversion to forest lands and areas proposed for release to alienable and disposable lands.

The distribution of Free Patents to qualified beneficiaries under the Department's Handog Titulo Program was again extended this year by its funding agency.

Under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), 4,562 Free Patents with a corresponding area of 5,342.4925 hectares were processed and transmitted to the Register of Deeds (ROD). Likewise, under regular fund, seventy one (71) Patents with a corresponding area of .2064 hectares were processed and transmitted to the Register of Deeds (ROD). These alienable and disposable lands classified as agricultural, residential and commercial lands were distributed to uplift the socio-economic status of Bicolanos giving them equal access to land resources.

We also continued the implementation of the provisions of the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act of 1992 that provides for the establishment and management of Protected Areas as a key strategy in the conservation of the country's rich biodiversity. The operations of sixteen 16) Protected Area Management Boards (PAMB) have also been institutionalized. These functioning multi-sectoral bodies have conducted sixty nine (69) regular and EXECOM meetings in calendar year 2009 and discussed issues and concerns affecting their respective areas. They have in their jurisdiction a total of sixty thousand seven hundred fifty eight and 38/100 (60,758.38) hectares of forest lands under management consisting of national parks, natural biotic areas, wildlife sanctuaries and natural parks under the category of NIPAS and watershed areas. The operations of the six (6) Integrated Protected Area Fund (IPAF) have also been institutionalized generating total revenues of P225,108.22 this year exceeding last year's collection of P145, 538.00 by 55%.

Pursuant to DENR Memorandum Order 98-03 dated January 30, 1998 which prescribes the guidelines for the issuance of Area and Status clearance or consent for mining operations, this Office has processed and issued area status clearance certificates to seventeen (17) mining firms region wide. This assistance is extended to facilitate issuance of permits to mining firms and other businesses who invest money for the economic development of the region.

DENR 5 is likewise actively involved in the implementation of three on-going regular/foreign-assisted projects namely: 1) Upland development Program - Bicol River Basin and Watershed Management Project (BRBWMP), 2) Integrated Coastal Resources Management Project (ICRMP), and 3) Libmanan-Pulantuna Watershed Management Project (LPWMP).

BRBWMP is a six-year development initiative started in calendar year 2007 to improve the quality of life of river basin communities. Primarily, it aims to enhance livelihood and improve natural resources management through coordinated and sustainable development activities in a river basin context. This is a regular fund under Upland Development Program.

The ICRMP is a six-year foreign assisted development project launched in 2007 to enhance coastal resources management and reduce poverty among fisher folks\residents in fifteen (15) coastal municipalities of Masbate. The province of Masbate is identified as one of the poorest province in the country.

The LPWMP launched earlier last year covering the six (6) municipalities in Camarines Sur and two (2) municipalities in Camarines Norte is a Global Environment Fund (GEF) project. Its objective is to enhance ecosystem services for global and local benefits. Global benefits include biodiversity and habitat protection, natural forest regeneration, reduction of threats to protected areas, improved ecosystem services and restoration of natural forest.

The Office maintains the DENR Bicol Website WWW.denrbicol.ph to maximize the use of digital information and to deliver better basic services to DENR clientele. The website contains information regarding the environment and natural resources in the region, status of permits, licenses, applications filed and other services extended by the Office.

The foregoing represents our steadfast commitment towards our goal of sustainable development of the environment and natural resources.

JOSELIN MARCUS E. FRAGADA
Regional Executive Director

 

  Albay