To best start the New Year right, Regional Executive Director Ricardo L. Calderon of the Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR-XI) highlighted the Department’s Accomplishments for 2006 and its 2007 Targets during an interview at DXRD 711 Sonshine Radio, a station owned by Apollo Quiboloy.

During the one hour interview, Calderon talks about DENR’s various significant events with DXRD’s Nene Yabes. Among the many accomplishments Calderon mentioned was the DENR’s Green Philippine Highways Project (GPH) in which 17,152 seedlings were planted along 101.7 kilometers of the Pan-Philippine Highway in the Davao region. The said project was able to gather 15,094 planters and involved 421 site adopters.

Another significant event mentioned was the signing of Memorandum of Agreement between the DENR and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) last December 15, 2006. RED Calderon comprehensively explained that the MOA was inked for the rehabilitation of the city’s Lasang River Watershed wherein LBP signified its interest to allocate funds for the rehabilitation of a two-hectare portion of the river watershed, one of the priority watershed for protection in Region XI. On the other hand, the DENR will provide technical assistance in the formulation of the development plan and conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of the project.

The launching of the Avian Influenza Protection Program (AIPP), which is a joint undertaking of DENR, Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Agriculture (DA) was also cited. With the slogan “Bantay Ibon: Iwas Bird Flu Tayo”, RED Calderon affirmed that the DENR, thru its Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Service (PAWCZMS), heightened its IEC drive about the Bird Flu virus in order to prevent the country from contamination. Calderon explained further that monitoring of wetlands, which is home to many migratory birds, was also undertaken.

At the end of the interview, RED Calderon greatly emphasized that whatever accomplishments the DENR achieved last year, are due to the full participation given by the Department’s workforce and partners from other government agencies, NGOs and LGUs. He also stressed that safeguarding the environment is not the sole responsibility of the DENR but of the whole community and that having the same vision and mission in protecting and preserving the ecosystems is of great importance.

With these accomplishments, RED Calderon expressed his optimism in achieving DENR’s Targets for 2007. He also assured the listeners that airing of suggestions or complaints are most welcome for the betterment of the service. (Jei Agas)