DENR Region XI

June is here, and with it comes the celebration of “Philippine Environment Month” by virtue Presidential Proclamation No. 237 signed by then President Corazon C. Aquino in 1998.

This year’s theme is “Kalikasan Ating Yaman, Alagaan”. This theme focuses on the importance of taking a unified action to take care of the environment. And throughout the month, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will spearhead various environmental activities in the country.

Regional Executive Director Ricardo L. Calderon disclosed that in Region XI DENR will conduct the following activities for the environment month: massive information campaign on various DENR programs, projects and activities; coastal clean-up and mangrove planting; emission testing; patent distribution, seedlings distribution and tree planting, among others.

Calderon further said that environment friendly activities and practices geared to protect, conserve and manage the environment should not only be done during the environment month, rather it should already become part of our system. “We need to focus our goals as well as interest in protecting, managing and cleaning up the environment for our good and for the next generations to come, he added.

Moreover, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will also spearhead the celebration of World Environment Day 2008 with the theme “Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy”. Recognizing that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. The World Environment Day will highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life-styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption (www.unep.org/wed/2008).

United Nations, 2007 stated that the World Environment Day (WED) is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future ( RPAO, DENR-XI).