Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region XI (DENR-XI) along with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) of Kidapawan, Region XII recently had a meeting with Energy Development Corporation (EDC) to discuss on the proposed establishment of UNESCO Base Camp in Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP) particularly in Brgy. Ilomavis, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato.

The meeting was headed by DENR-XI Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel A. Evasco, CRD Head of EDC Nancy Ibuna and Kidapawan PENR Officer Renato Domingo.

The establishment of UNESCO Base Camp in MANP will serve as a hub for visitors and researchers who want to explore the natural beauty and biodiversity of Mount Apo, being one of the geological wonders of the Philippines. Further, the base camp is expected to propel the improvement of its facilities and supplement the promotion of sustainable tourism and conservation efforts in the area.

At present, the MANP – Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) together with the EDC are already working on the necessary requirements for the iconic mountain to be declared as a UNESCO Global Geological Park (UGGP).

With its inscription as a UNESCO UGGP, it will further strengthen the efforts of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) in the protection of the mountain’s resources. Furthermore, it will heighten the community’s awareness and eventually pave the way for the conservation and protection of our natural environment.

Along with RED Evasco were Davao del Sur PENR Officer For. Alberto Bandiola, MANP Protected Area Superintendent for Region XI Archelito Mallari and Malalag CENR Officer Erwin Clemenia.

Should all matters go as expected, the UNESCO Base Camp is set for inauguration on July 25, 2023.

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 16 May 2023

To thoroughly discuss about the accomplishments and regional highlights under the Responsible Land Governance in Mindanao Program (RLGM), representatives from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources convened today, May 9, 2023, held at DENR-XI Regional Office in Lanang, Davao City.

GIZ was represented by its RLGM Principal Advisor Erlinda Dolarte while the DENR was represented by Land Management Bureau (LMB) Director Atty. Emelyne V. Talabis, Foreign Assisted and Special Projects Service Director Al O. Orolfo, and DENR-XI Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel A. Evasco.

The RLGM Program aims to adopt conflict-sensitive principles to improve the management of public lands in Mindanao. It will work in the three field activities such as: promoting an improved institutional framework for responsible land policy at the national level; developing the land management capacities of the local government’s; and increasing the transparency of the government’s dealings and raising public awareness of land policy.

RLGM Program is commissioned by GIZ and its lead executing agency is the DENR. It has its project locations in Regions 10, 11 and Caraga. In Region XI, is implemented in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur and Brgys. Carmen and Marilog in Davao City.

Moreover, DENR-LMB and GIZ recently launched its Unified Map and Data Sharing Protocol Project developed under the RLGM Program which aims to strengthen the exchange of land data and information between national agencies and local governments.

Also present during the program are DENR-XI Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Victor T. Billones, Assistant Regional Director for Special Concerns Maribel P. Alicer, and Municipal Tourism Officer of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, Julius Paner. Various IEC materials were also turned over during the program.

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 09 May 2023

With the aim to promote agricultural development that is compatible with the conservation of the ecosystem, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture recently held its 2-day national capacity building in Davao City on the implementation of DA-DENR Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2021-01 or “Mainstreaming Biodiversity-friendly Agricultural Practices In Protected Areas And Wider Agricultural Landscapes”.

The 2-day capacity building event was facilitated by DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau and DA’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management in collaboration with the Biodiversity Corridor Project. This event also aims to capacitate the members of the National Oversight Committee (NOC) and the Regional Technical Working Groups (RTWGs) from DENR and DA of Regions 6 to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) particularly in the implementation of activities and strategies under the proposed 6-year implementation plan.

Same event will also be done to cater NOCs and RTWGs from NCR, CAR and from Regions 1 to 5.

Discussed during the capacity building was the Biodiversity-friendly Agricultural Practices (BDFAPs) which is one of the major outputs of the former Biodiversity Partnership Project (BPP). BDFAP are practices that use traditional and modern technologies, agriculture, fishery, agroforestry and multi-cropping management techniques.

Among others, BDFAP aims to contribute in the maintenance of ecosystem resilience, protect biodiversity reserves and sanctuaries including agriculture-important species, habitat networks and biological corridors and protect watersheds and wild habitat against conversion to other uses.

On the other hand, JAO 2021-01 is an Order that provides for general consideration for BDFAP within protected areas that relates to conservation of native species, protected areas for indigenous people and local communities. It lays down the objectives for promoting agricultural development that is compatible with the conservation of the ecosystem in agricultural and fisheries areas.

Moreover, it also ensures judicious use of the country’s natural resources and conserving genetic diversity of biological resources used for food and agriculture.

And in order to effectively implement BDFAP, the DA and DENR shall create the National Oversight Committee and Regional Technical Working Groups pursuant to Section 10 of JAO 2021-01. Its main function is to provide overall guidance and direction to the implementation of JAO 2021-01.

The NOC Chair will be the Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations of the DA and its Co-Chair will be the Undersecretary for Legal and Administration of the DENR. The Directors of Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA) and the Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR) will sit as the Co-Vice Chair.

The Chair for the Regional Technical Working Groups will be the Regional Director of DA while the Co-Chair will be the Regional Executive Director of the DENR. The main function of RTWGs is to provide overall guidance to the implementation of BDFAPs at the regional level based on the guidance from the National Committee.

On its second day the participants were given the chance to visit the Green Solutions Agricultural Farming Training Center in Brgy. Bato Bato, San Isidro, Davao Oriental (GSAFTC), a certified learning site for agriculture duly recognized by the Department of Agriculture. The same center tapped by the Protected Area Management Office of Mt. Hamiguitan Range and Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) in their beekeeping project in order to improve its production considering that the said honeybee enterprise is identified as a BDFAP.

#TayoAngKalikasan
#ProtectedAreaManagement

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 09 May 2023

This item is with reference to 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝟗𝟎𝟕𝟐 otherwise known as the “𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭.”

Caves, according to this act, refer to any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess or system of interconnected passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge and which is large enough to permit an individual to enter, whether or not the entrance, located either on private or public land, is naturally formed or man-made.

Further, it is declared that caves and cave resources are owned by the State and are part of the country’s natural wealth. Furthermore, it is mandated by the law to conserve, protect and manage it, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the lead implementing agency, in coordination with other concerned offices and organizations.

𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

To attain such goal, the DENR regularly conducts inventory, assessment and classification on the region’s caverns.

Before it rests to the public eye for utilization, may it be for scientific, economic, educational, ecotourism or other purposes, it must first undergo cave resource assessment which include determining its value and its classification.

The classification is based on DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2007-04 which defines 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐈 as caves with archeological findings and are for scientific and educational purposes only; 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐈 are those caverns with wildlife that cannot be disturbed and are open only to experienced cavers or guided educational tours/visits.; and 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐈𝐈 are caves where the whole part is allowed for spelunking provided that they are accompanied by cave guides and are appropriate for tourism purposes.

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐇𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒

Pursuant to RA 9072, Sec. 18, these are 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐃- any acts of knowingly destroying, disturbing, defacing, marring, altering, removing or harming the speleogen or speleothem of any cave or altering the free movement or any animal or plant life in or out of any cave.

Further, gathering, collecting, possessing, consuming, selling, bartering or exchanging or offering for sale without authority of any cave resource as well as counseling, procuring, soliciting or employing any other person to violate any provision of this Section.

𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

Please be informed of the laws that protects our caves.

These gaping chambers beneath the earth with intricate and aethereal formations naturally formed through the slow passage of time. That is how valuable and magisterial the caves are which deserves preservation of its integrity, let alone be treated with dignity.

To avoid being deliberately misconstrued, It is always wise to know the facts first.

#caves #ProtectTheCaves #TayoAngKalikasan

*𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝐷𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑜 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡.

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 28 April 2023

What could be the better way to celebrate National Women's Month? Connect, support and care for others- gestures that women do best.

It is in fact that the DENR-XI, in line with the celebration of the National Women's Month, conducted an outreach program at the Southern Philippines Medical Center - Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine (SPMC-IPBM) on March 29, 2023.

The turn-over ceremony was led by the women leaders of DENR-XI- Assistant Regional Executive Director for Management and Gender and Development Focal Person Atty. Ma. Mercedes V. Dumagan, Administrative Division Chief Atty. Chelin Joan G. Sonza-Alug, Planning and Management Division Chief Luningning M. Dalayon, together with SPMC-IPBM Supervising Administrative Officer Grace B. Bernardo, MPA, Medical Officer IV Dr. Nueva Joy A. Perucho, and Social Welfare Officer II Geneliza E. Jamili, RSW.

The DENR-XI's men and women employees donated toiletry kits and lower garments for the use of confined patients in the said facility. This activity aims to provide them with comfortable and clean clothes and basic necessities.

The SPMC-IPBM, formerly known as the Davao Mental Hospital (DMH), is the premier psychiatric center in Mindanao and, currently, the only government mental facility that caters to patients from all over Mindanao. The center has a 300-bed capacity and is located along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City, which is five (5) kilometers away from SPMC, it's main building.

SPMC is the Dept. of Health's highly specialized infirmary. It is the only government tertiary health care facility in Davao and the largest in the country.

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Parent Category: News & Events

Category: Press Releases

Published: 30 March 2023