GREEN RP: 4-DAY NORTH LUZON ENVIRONMENT CARAVAN STARTS
TUGUEGARAO CITY, APRIL 1, 2008 (STAR) By Charlie Lagasca – North Luzon’s own version of people’s caravan for the environment will kick off today in Cagayan’s northernmost town and ends in Pampanga following a number of stopovers for environment-related fora along the way.
The four-day 500-km North Luzon leg of the motorcade, dubbed Lakbay Para sa Kalikasan para sa Buhay at Kinabukasan” is part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – led 18-day nationwide caravan leading to the world’s Earth Day celebration on April 22 with the country’s theme for this year “Tubig ay Buhay - Ating Pagyamanin at Linisin.”
DENR Cagayan Valley Director Clarence Baguilat said that the region’s leg of the caravan will start in Santa Praxedes, Cagayan and culminates at SM Pampanga on April 4. The caravan will feature information dissemination on the government programs and activities that would mitigate the effect on global warming.
This year’s United Nations-initiated Earth Day celebration, he said, also aimed to generate further awareness for environmental protection and conservation.
The four-day caravan has its several stops for brief environmental fora in Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya before proceeding to Pampanga where the participants from all over Luzon and other parts of the country meet for the culminating activities, which will feature an environment fair on climate change and global warming, solid waste management, wildlife conservation and the government’s Green Philippines program.
In his memorandum order to the DENR regional office, Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. said that the caravan intends to draw and encourage participation of various sectors to include local government units, national government agencies, the academe, non-government organizations, church, business sector and the public at large on the need to protect and conserve the environment.
‘Green check’ for government agencies pushed By Katherine Adraneda Tuesday, April 1, 2008
After the much-trumpeted lifestyle check in government to combat corruption, public servants would soon be faced with another kind of assessment – the “green check” in order to reveal their awareness about the conservation of the environment.
This as Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza supported calls for a fitting examination of government agencies about their consciousness on efforts to protect the environment as well as laws to ensure preservation of the country’s natural surroundings.
Atienza, however, said that the “green check” would first begin at the DENR to set an example and inspire others to do their share caring for the environment. He vowed to accelerate “green practices” in all DENR offices nationwide.
“I support such call for a green check 100 percent,” the DENR chief said. “The government, specially the DENR, should be at the forefront of efforts to conserve the environment. We already started it actually, but we will just have to accelerate it.”
“The green check should start in my household first, the DENR. We should set an example,” he said.
According to Atienza, he is inclined to formalize his instruction by issuing either a memorandum or an administrative order to all local and regional offices of the DENR soon. He said they have to first study the processes for the green check, but revealed that among the mechanisms for the scheme would possibly be the giving out of citations and recognitions to offices that would garner high scores in implementing green practices.
Atienza specifically mentioned the need for DENR offices to abide by proper garbage management as well as energy conservation.
He noted the significance of waste segregation to help mitigate the generation of garbage in the country. He also pointed out the importance of conserving energy in order to facilitate initiatives against global warming or climate change.
“After the DENR, other government agencies would definitely follow suit in this green check. All of us in government should really set an example. Caring for the environment and abiding by the laws that foster protection of the environment is part of our duties and responsibilities, not only as public servants and implementers of the law but also as citizens,” Atienza said.
“All of us should take environmental conservation very seriously,” he also said.
Over the weekend, veteran ecologist Odette Alcantara, who is a staunch believer and promoter of zero waste management, urged the government to facilitate a “green check” among its agencies to determine the level of awareness of public servants about the importance of protecting the environment.
Alcantara, of Mother Earth Philippines and Earth Day Network Philippines, made this call as she lamented the continuing problem on garbage despite the enactment of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (R.A. 9003), which provides the legal framework for the country’s systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program that shall ensure protection of public health and the environment.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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