DENR Region XI

In celebration of the National Women’s Month, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region XI conducted a POT(ting) Session last March 19, 2007 at CENRO West Bangkal, Davao City.

This activity, which aims to foster and promote greening while providing assistance to the Department’s Green Philippine Program, was participated by 150 employees from the Regional Office, CENROs East and West, Mines & GeoSciences Bureau (MGB) and Environmental Management Bureau (EMB). The participants comprise 72 females and 78 males.

“POT(ting) Session” is an act of volunteerism among Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Points of the Department. This activity highlights women’s ability to bring life starting from the bosom of Mother Earth by potting soil for seedling production. To make the occasion more exciting, a competition among the participating offices on potting and sowing activities was made.

The participants were grouped into ten and each was given two hours to conduct the potting and sowing activity. Each group was required to produce at least 1,000 pots to attain the target number of seedlings to be produced. If the group failed to meet this requirement within the 2-hour period, they are still required to continue their potting and sowing activity until they produce the needed 1,000 pots.

The ten groups were able to produced 8,765 pots altogether which was assessed and inspected by the three members of the Board of Inspectors/Judges composed by Regional Technical Director Emmanuel Isip of Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Services (PAWCZMS), Regional GAD Focal Person Marcia Isip and Forester Reynaldo Orquillas of CENRO West. Criteria for judging include Timeliness for 30 points, Group Effort for another 30 points and Quality for 40 points.

CENRO West A, which was able to produce 1,230 pots, bagged the first prize while CENRO East garnered the second prize for producing 1,050 pots. The Third Prize goes to FMS which was able to accomplish 1,032 pots.

The POT(ting) Session event was graced by Congressman Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora. He led the awarding of prizes along with Regional Executive Director (RED) Ricardo Calderon, RTD Emmanuel Isip, RTD for Forest Management Services Hardinado Patnugot, CENR Officer-West Ricardo Lumbang and Forester Marcia Isip.

Labels: women's month celebration