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8.09.2006 Green Philippine Highways launched in Davao City
-738509.jpg) DENR Secretary Angelo T. Reyes launched the Green Philippine Highways Project on August 1, 2006 at the Davao Convention and Trade Center along Torres St., Davao City. On August 25, 2006, from the tip of Luzon in the North to Mindanao in the South, the Department will lead a human chain composed of various stakeholders to join a simultaneous massive national tree planting activity along the country's national highway through three main routes. The Green Philippine Highways Project aims to connect the 2,176.40 kilometers of the Pan-Philippine Highway from Laoag City to Davao City; the 439.20 kilometers of Manila North Road from Laoag City to Manila and the 823.90 kilometers of the West Nautical Highway from Batangas City to Zamboanga Sibugay. The three routes stretch 3,439.50 kilometer network of sealed roads, expressway, interchanges, bridges and ferry services that link the three main islands of the Philippine Archipelago: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The DENR believes that environmental protection is not a monopoly of the Department but rather, a responsibility of every member of the society. To strengthen public concern and participation towards environmental protection, the DENR embarks on this project that would maximize participation of all sectors of society and the "Bayanihan" spirit of the Filipinos by establishing a green chain along the country's major highways and thoroughfares. The national greening aims to minimize adverse environmental conditions, especially those caused by smoke-belching vehicles and air pollutants causing asthma, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. The Project shall be adopted following the "Adopt a Street or Park Project" concept wherein the whole stretch of the highways shall be divided into multiple sections of a kilometer or more. Each section shall be awarded to an adopter who may be LGUs, NGOs, community, government agencies, business institution and civic/religious organizations for the planting, caring and maintenance. A MOA between and among the DENR and adopters shall be forged to ensure plant survival and project sustainability. The DENR shall provide the necessary planting materials as well as technical and other necessary assistance. The DPWH shall be tapped for hole-digging and other technical activities. On the other hand, the NGOs, LGUs, civil society, business groups and industries shall assist the DENR in partnership building, project implementation, compliance monitoring and resource mobilization. In Region XI, DENR Regional Executive Director Ricardo L.Calderon said that a total of 126.5 kilometers of the Pan-Philippine Highway consisting of 68 kms. in Compostela Valley, 24.2 kms. Davao del Norte and 14 kms. in davao del Sur will be planted to seedlings of assorted species.
posted by Webmaster @ 11:27 AM
8.04.2006 East Asian Countries to Endorse Agreement on Sustainable Development of the Region's Seas
-794177.jpg) (Davao City) The 12th Programme Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting of the Regional Programme on Partnership in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) officially opened Last Tuesday, August 1, 2006 and will end today at the Waterfront Insular Hotel. The meeting is hosted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and was organized by the PEMSEA Regional Programme Office. PEMSEA is sponsored by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and executed by the intergovermental, inter-agency and multi-sectoral partnership as the vehicle to achieving this goal. Twelve countries are represented at the meeting - Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. DENR Secretary Angelo T. Reyes personally welcome the participants during the event. The four-day Meeting addressed matters related to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA). The SDS-SEA was adopted by the PEMSEA-participating countries in 2003. The Strategy serves as a road map and common platform of regional cooperation and partnership building in achieving a shared vision for sustainable development of marine and coastal resources. Through the implementation of the Strategy, stakeholders at the local, national, regional and global levels are being engaged as implementing partners, with corresponding benefit derived to environmental, social and economic sectors, including pollution reduction, conservation and rehabilitation of living resources, job creation, human health protection, and creation of investment opportunities. During the Meeting the proposed Partnership Agreement and Partnership Operating Arrangement for the implementation of the SDS-SEA was reviewed and which are scheduled to be signed by Ministers of PEMSEA partner organizations at the Ministerial Forum of the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2006, to be held at Haikou City, Peoples Republic of China, from December 12-16, 206. The Partnership Agreement will transform the present regional programme into a "regional mechanism for the implementation of the SDS-SEA". An EAS Partnership Council will be established, composed of governments of the region, international agencies and organizations, NGOs, private sector, scientific institutions, and other stakeholder groups. The Council's principal role will be to direct and oversee the implementation of the SDS-SEA, through the mobilization and coordination of the resources and programs of the different partners. The GEF will be sponsoring the implementation of the SDS-SEA through this transitional period. The Meeting was attended by representatives from UNDP Manila, UNDP-GEF Regional Center in Bangkok, IMO London, and 12 observer organizations namely, EastAsia Response Pte Ltd (EARL), UNEP/Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (UNEP/GPA), UNEP East Asian Seas Regional Coordinating Unit (EAS/RCU), Coordinating Body of the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme, UNDP GEF Yellow Sea Project, Food and Agriculture Organization-Asia, IW:LEARN, Japan Association of Marine Safety, Korea environment Institute, Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP), Ocean Policy Research Foundation (OPRF)of Japan, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and WWF Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion Coordination Unit.
posted by Webmaster @ 3:31 PM
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