DENR Region XI

A motorcade along major thoroughfares of Cagayan de Oro City officially started the Culmination Program of the Earth Day People’s Caravan 2008. Regions 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 converged at the DENR-X Regional Office at 6:00 AM to prepare for the motorcade that started at exactly 7:30. The motorcade lasted for about an hour and ended at Misamis Oriental Provincial Capitol Ground at Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City.

At exactly 9:00 AM, the program proper started. The Invocation and Pambansang Awit was given by the host region, Region 10. Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar S. Moreno gave his Welcome Remarks stating that Mindanao today is no longer a land of promise but a land of fulfillment. He was proud to disclose that the LGUs of Misamis Oriental have a very strong and effective partnership with DENR, that they always make it a point to work hand in hand as far as environmental protection is concerned.

The acknowledgment of guests and delegates was done by Regional Technical Director for Ecosystems Reseach and Development Service of Region X Danilo C. Cacanindin.
Being the Focal Person of the Mindanao Group, Regional Executive Director for Region IX Ernesto D. Adobo, Jr. gave the overview of the Earth Day People’s Caravan Activity. He tackled the history of the Earth Day Celebration first before giving the overview of the activity saying that DENR’s Carvan was a prelude to Earth Day Celebration.

Cagayan de Oro City’s Committee Chairman for the Environment Ceasar Ian Asenas also gave his message and laud the DENR for coming up with such a significant and big activity which is an eye opener for people to start taking care of the environment. Asenas emphasized that people should plant more trees nowadays because it is one way of protecting not only our environment but ourselves as well knowing that planting trees is one way of mitigating Global Warming.

2nd District Congressman Rufus B. Rodriguez gave his message of support not only to the Caravan Activity but to the DENR as well. He urged the LGUs and the people to unite and work hand in hand with the DENR on its mission to help save Mother Earth knowing that the said agency cannot do the task alone. The Congressman added that because we all live in this planet, all of us must carry the responsibility to make it livable not only for us, but for the future generation as well.

In her Keynote Speech, DENR’s Undersecretary (USEC) for Special Projects and Concerns congratulated the Mindanao group for being the biggest delegation of the nationwide Carvan activity. Like everybody who gave their messages, USEC Castillo also urged everyone to give utmost care to the different ecosystems. She stressed the need to protect our water too – one of the most important resources we have.

USEC Castillo also made an appeal to all the LGUs and the stakeholders to strictly comply with all the existing Environmental laws and Republic Acts because their compliance is most important and most needed in order to save Mother Earth. She added that the DENR needs a total comprehensive and total partnership with the LGUs, NGAs, NGOs and Academes to be able to realize its mission in protecting and saving the environment.

The last part of the program was the signing of Earth Day Covenant which was led by VIPs down to the participants. The pledge was on helping protect and preserve the environment. The Covenant was called “Panaad sa Kinaiyahan” or “Pledge for the Environment” wherein all the signatories will take the responsibilities of planting trees, of buying products that doesn’t cause harm to the environment, of maintaining the cleanliness of one’s surroundings, of strictly following the 3Rs which is Recycling, Reusing and Reducing and for conserving the energy.

After the program, everybody proceeded to the Exhibit area of the different Regions. Region XI had put up photos about Nagkahiusang Kritohanong Mag-uuma sa Maputi (NAKRISMA), a People’s Organization of Barangay Maputi, San Isidro Davao Oriental, Clonal Project, PRS92 activities and other significant RXI activities. We have also put up tarpaulis of the Philippine Eagle and Mangrovetum Project.

click here for the slideshow of the caravan.......