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5.16.2008 CULMINATION PROGRAM @ CDO (Day 5: April 18, 2008)
 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.......
posted by Webmaster @ 5:53 PM
5.08.2008 @ MANOLO FORTICH (Day 4: April 17, 2008)
 With more or less twenty-five (25) vehicles, DENR-XI delegates proceeded to Cagayan de Oro the next day. On the way, the delegates made a courtesy call to Manolo Fortich Mayor Rogelio Quiño accompanied by the employees of CENRO Manolo Fortich. Manolo Fortich was agreed to be the convergence point (whistle stop) for Regions XI and XII.In his message, Mayor Quiño warmly welcomes the delegates and urged everyone to be serious in the commitment in protecting the environment. Moreover, Municipal Committee Chairman on Environment Ryder Detona reminded everyone that each has a sense of obligation and responsibility to save Mother Earth. He also talked about the documentary film of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” and sited the very alarming state of Lake Chad in Nigeria which was one time the biggest lake in the whole world. But, because of the Climate Change due to Global Warming, Lake Chad dried up after four decades.  Detona further challenged everybody to be responsible now in doing their share in protecting and preserving the environment to let the future generation still enjoy the environment we are enjoying now. The highlight of the program was the solicitation of signatures from all the participants as a sign for protecting the environment. After the short program, both Mayor Quiño and Detona wished the delegates a safe travel to Cagayan de Oro City.
posted by Webmaster @ 3:05 PM
5.07.2008 EARTH DAY CARAVAN @ DAVAO CITY (Day 3: April 16,2008)
 The Earth Day Caravan in Davao City started with a motorcade that was participated in by the DENR-XI, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Mines Geo-Sciences Bureau, PENROs and CENROs, Davao City Bikers Club, Mindanao On Bike Club, Hilary Cycle Parts and Petron Davao. More or less, there were sixty-five (65) bikers, four (4) vehicles and twenty (20) motorcycles from Petron Davao, Mindanao Business Council (MBC), Human Development International (HDI), and eighteen (18) vehicles from DENR-XI who joined the motorcade. The motorcade started at 9 o’ clock in the morning from DENR Regional office in Lanang to People’s Park at corner Palma Gil and Camus Streets. Right after the motorcade, a half-day program immediately followed at the People’s Park, Camus-Palma Gil Streets, Davao City. In her welcome address, PENRO Digos Ruth M. Tawantawan gave a brief explanation about the Earth Day People’s Caravan activity as a DENR strategy to sound-off its Thrusts and Programs. She also acknowledged all the participants both in the motorcade and the Caravan giving their utmost support to the activity.  Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte was invited to be the Guest Speaker of the Program but due to some urgent appointment, he sent City Councilor Leo Avila III to represent him. Known to many Davaoeños, Councilor Avila is an active environmentalist being the former Chairman of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. He urged everyone, most especially the youth to always take part in every environmental activity to help the DENR in their mission to save Mother Earth from further destructions. This year’s Caravan theme is about water, the reason why Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Regional Director Metudio Turbella discusses about the importance of protecting and preserving our water, being the source of life. This was seconded by Mr. Vicente T. Lao, the Chairman of the Mindanao Business Council (MBC) and Regional Development Council who doesn’t only speak of the importance of business influx in Davao City but also on the importance of having a clean and safe water and environment.  The Caravan activity for Davao City which ended at 12 noon was a complete success given the support of many Business Sectors, Non-Government Organizations, National Government Agencies, Students and Davao City Media. Participants, to name a few, were Davao City Bikers Club, Petron Davao, EMB, MGB, Human Development International, Mindanao Business Council, Davao City Chamber of Commerce, youths from Toril Poblacion, Sangguniang Kabataan from Talomo Poblacion, Philippine Clean Cities Program, Green Brigade of Barangay Talomo, Daniel R. Aguinaldo High School, Davao City National Highschool. Various media are also present like: Sun Star Davao, Sonshine Network, ABS-CBN and GMA 7. The Davao City Caravan was aired over GMA7, ABS-CBN and other media outlets in the city. IEC materials as well at Earth Day Caravan pins were also distributed to some of the participants of the program.
posted by Webmaster @ 12:16 PM
5.06.2008 CARAVAN @ DAVAO DEL NORTE (Day 2: April 15, 2008)
 The second day of the Earth Day People’s Caravan was spent in Davao del Norte particularly in Tagum, Carmen and Panabo. A short program was done and prepared by the employees of the Provincial Office in Tagum headed by the OIC, Provincial Governor and the Department Head of Office of the Environment and Natural Resources (OENR) Felix Abangin. The program started with an invocation-film showing depicting concerns for the environment and showing all possible preservation efforts on the different ecosystems.Abangin included in his welcome message the history of Earth Day dating back from 1970. He also shared that Davao del Norte is one province not innocent to environmental destruction, the main reason why the LGUs here seriously work hand in hand with the DENR in mitigating environmental destruction and in strictly enforcing environmental laws in order to preserve and protect the environment.  Afterwards, the OIC, Chief of RPAO-XI Dr. Rita Fe C. Sison gave the rationale of the Caravan emphasizing the need to sound-off and proclaim DENR’s call to action for the preservation of the environment as well as increasing people’s awareness on the Thrusts and Programs of the department. Right after the program, the group then proceeded to have a courtesy call with Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy. The Mayor welcomed the DENR-XI delegates with enthusiasm, gladly accepting the token that was given to him. He talked with the delegates headed by RED Ric Calderon for awhile about the Caravan activity and strongly pronounced his support to the said activity being a fervent Mayor in terms of protecting the environment. Mayor Uy asked for an ample time from the delegates to let him show them his various on-going projects in Tagum City and the delegates gladly consented. The Mayor proudly showed them the proposed City Hall Building, Environmental Park, the 9-hectare Camp sites and Tagum City’s Nursery, among others.  After the tour in Tagum City, the Caravan proceeded to the Municipality of Carmen wherein the employees both from CENRO Panabo and the Municipal Hall excitedly and patiently await for the DENR-XI delegates. During the brief and simple program, Earth Day Caravan pins were distributed to the audience. A simple message from Mayor Marcelino A. Peranados of Carmen highlighted the program. The Mayor expressed his appreciation to DENR for not forgetting to include his Municipality in the Caravan. After which, RED Ric Calderon gave the Mayor a simple token as a sign of DENR’s gratitude for supporting the Caravan.Last stop of the Caravan for the day was a courtesy call to Panabo City Mayor Jose L. Silvosa. During his welcome message, Mayor Silvosa presented their own Earth Day activities such as tree planting, mangrove planting and IEC campaigns. The Mayor further encouraged everyone to be more concerned with the environment emphasizing that the damages we are causing to Mother Earth is greater than the damages we are doing to ourselves. He also stressed that Panabo City was happy to be included in the Caravan activity of the DENR.
posted by Webmaster @ 1:25 PM
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