After initial meetings with Sagay City Water District, site visit and assessment, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Signing was done for the adoption and enhancement of the Enhanced National Greening Program (ENGP) site at Sitio Manara, Brgy. Puey, Sagay City, Negros Occidental. The signing was held at Balay Kauswagan.

“This is one of the best practices initiated by the Office which began in the southern part of Negros Occidental,” said Edgardo Rostata, DENR Provincial ENR Officer in Negros Occidental.

Rostata disclosed that the signed MOA is part of Sagay Water District’s social responsibility which he hope will be replicated by other water districts.

Alexander Entero, CENRO Cadiz ENGP Focal Person, discussed briefly the rationale and status of the site. In response, SWD General Manager Manfred Fuentesfina assured everyone of their full support on the program as water is considered to be the lifeblood of the planet and vital for our survival.

Mayor Thirdy Marañon said the Sagay City government has long been doing reforestation efforts and encouraged everyone to protect our resources. “We need to continue the conservation efforts started by our past leaders that is worth emulating,” Marañon added.

He also added that the MOA is yet to pass through the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) for approval and planting of trees in the proposed area can then be undertaken.

Also present during the MOA Signing were SWD Chairman-Board of Directors Thelma Chiu, SP Arthur Christopher Marañon, SMR-PaSu Antonio Cueva and one of the SWD Board of Directors Ezequiel Marañon.

This is part of the initiative to encourage sustainable support for the development of the Enhanced National Greening Program while at the same time having as goal the provision of clean and safe water at different areas in the northern part of Negros Occidental.

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Category: Regional Releases

Published: 05 April 2022

Despite being widespread with nesting sites in different locations in the country, the Olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) turtle is under threat due to habitat destruction and other natural/manmade factors such as trade for commercial use.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Provincial ENR Office in Guimaras recently released eleven (11) Olive ridley hatchlings that were found at the adjacent fishpond of Coco Beach Resort at Brgy. Sebario, San Lorenzo, Guimaras.  The hatchlings were immediately released at Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMR).

The DENR continues to encourage the public to be more aware of saving and protecting these reptiles pursuant to its mandate as the primary government agency responsible for the conservation, management, development and proper use of country’s environment and natural resources./DENR 6

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Published: 15 March 2022

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) continues to conduct the annual Asian Waterbird Census that serves as the basis for estimates of waterbird populations; monitoring changes in waterbird numbers and distributions, whether local, national and international level; and know the status of wetlands whether it is healthy, degraded or polluted.

Thus, the Provincial ENR Office of Guimaras conducted a province-wide census in the eight (8) Asian Waterfowl sites namely; Barangay’s Hoskyn in Jordan; Suclaran in San Lorenzo; Getulio in Buenavista; Sabang and Alegria in Sibunag; Poblacion, San Antonio and Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMR) in Nueva Valencia.

There are over 38 species of birds with a total of 1999 waterbirds counted in the province including the following; Whiskered Terns, Little Egret, Green-backed Heron, Common Sandpiper and endemic Philippine Duck./DENR 6

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Published: 28 February 2022

The local folks in the coastal barangay of Navitas in Panay, Capiz province had recently witnessed the release of 106 Olive ridley(Lepidochelysolivacea) sea turtle hatchlings.

Last December 7, 2021 at 3:30 a.m., Mrs. Hardeliza Besa, a resident in Brgy. Navitas spotted a sea turtle laying eggs in the seashore. By 5:00 oc’clock in the morning, she informed Brgy. Captain Vicente Regalado about her discovery.

Brgy. Captain Regalado immediately informed DENR PENRO Capiz Conservation and Development Section (CDS) Chief Forester Nonilon S. Molina and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) Panay. Forester Molina instructed PENRO PAMBCU Chief, Erwin Ci-o, who immediately proceeded to the area together with MENRO Staff and asssessed the situation.

Mr. Ci-o decided to transfer the eggs cautiously some ten 10 meters away from the water and cordoned it with a fish net for protection. From then on, Mr. Ci-o and his staff religiously monitor the said area to ensure the protection of the eggs.

Finally, after two months, on February 7, 2022, 3:00 a.m., the hatchlings crawled out of their shells. A total of 106 hatchlings out of 127 eggs were released to their natural habitat at around 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon of the same date.

DENR PENRO Capiz spearheaded the release of the said 106 Olive ridley hatchlings in the shores of Brgy. Navitas in Panay, Capiz. Present during the said release were CDS Chief, Forester Nonilon S. Molina wherein he conducted a brief orientation, PAMBCU Chief Erwin Ci-o, CaPENRO Acting Head Atty. Emilyn Arboleda-Depon, Navitas Brgy. Captain Vicente Regalado with his Brgy.Council members, Mrs. Hardeliza Besa, MENRO Panay Staff Emmanuel Dulla, and LGU Panay Tourism representative.

Panay is one of the sixteen municipalities in the province of Capiz, and it lies along the coastal areas of Northern Panay Island. The presence of the turtle hatchlings were deemed a blessing by the locals in the area.

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Published: 28 February 2022

A dream is about to unfold.

Being the “adopted son of Antique”, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu wanted to make a difference and development in Malandog River in the Province of Antique. Thus, the creation of a dream in building a Balangay inspired Provincial ENR Office of Antique.

DENR officials from Central Office and the region headed by Secretary Cimatu and Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran along with the dignitaries from the Local Government Units (LGUs) and other partner agencies, offices and People’s Organization (POs) will witness the blessing and inauguration of the building set on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

The new DENR office will be a convergence building of various government agencies in the province.  This will also one of the venues to continue the rehabilitation in Malandog River and to guard the development already set in the area.

Malandog River is a provincial gem which was believed to be the witness of first Malayan Settlement way back to the 13th Century.  This is located in the municipalities of San Jose, Hamtic and Sibalom and served as home for different mangrove species and hiding place for boats during bad weathers.  Moreover, the implementation of the program is anchored in the implementation of Clean Water Act (RA 8749), Clean Air Act (RA 9275) and Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003).  This is the very reason why Malandog River Rehabilitation and Development Program (MaRiReDeP) was considered as one of the priority programs of DENR Secretary Roy A Cimatu. 

The balangay was the first wooden boat that was excavated in Southeast Asia.  These boats were instrumental in the settlement of Austronesian peoples in the Philippines and the Malay archipelago. 

“This Balangay project/building is the new identity of DENR Region 6 and making the entire history between us. The history of the past, where the 10 Bornean Datus land  in Panay, with the support of the DENR Secretary Cimatu, the LGU and the other stakeholders. This is the proof of unity of the people and government, a proof of rehabilitating the ancient Malandog River,” DENR 6 Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran said.

“The Balangay Project/ DENR Antique Convergence Building. You are not only a project. You are an Icon that depicts on how the culture of my province and of the whole region was sculptured in the annals of history,” DENR PENRO Antique Andres T. Untal posted on his social media account.

As remembered on previous years, Secretary Cimatu considered Malandog River as the “Center of Excellence” in the Province of Antique considering its historical, socio-economic and cultural significance to Antiqueños./DENR 6

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Category: Regional Releases

Published: 18 February 2022