A PLEASANT MORNING TO ALL.

TODAY’S DENR MULTISTAKEHOLDER FORUM IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO GATHER BOTH EVIDENCE AND EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT THIS ADMINISTRATION’S PRIORITIES FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY, CLIMATE-RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT, AND A JUST TRANSITION TOWARDS THE GREEN AND BLUE ECONOMY.

THIS ADMINISTRATION’S 8-POINT AGENDA, PARTICULARLY ON THE “CREATION OF GREEN JOBS BY PURSUING A GREEN AND BLUE ECONOMY AND ESTABLISHING LIVABLE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES,” HAS GUIDED THE DENR IN ACHIEVING BETTER PATHWAYS TO:
1) FULFILL OUR MANDATE TO CONSERVE, PROTECT, AND MANAGE OUR COUNTRY’S ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
2) MANAGE RISK AND BUILD RESILIENCE USING A RIDGE TO REEF AND ECOSYSTEMS-BASED APPROACH.

WE ARE ON THE PATH TOWARDS ENSURING THAT SCIENTIFIC, TECHNOLOGICAL, AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE, AND INNOVATION WILL BE DYNAMICALLY INTEGRATED INTO OUR STRATEGIES, POLICIES, AND PROCESSES. THE LEARNINGS FROM THIS CONTINUED MUTUAL EXCHANGE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS ARE ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR DEPARTMENT’S STRATEGIES AND PRIORITY ACTIONS. THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACCELERATE THE DENR’S MISSION OF MOBILIZING ALL FILIPINOS TO PROTECT, CONSERVE, AND MANAGE OUR ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

IN THE PROCESS OF REDIRECTING, REPURPOSING, AND REFORMING OUR DEPARTMENT’S PLANS, PROGRAMS, AND POLICIES, WE HAVE ALSO INITIATED ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION FOR RIGHTSIZING FOR EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY. WE DO ALL OF THESE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DENR IS AN ORGANIZATION WITH PEOPLE, PROCESSES, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGIES, AND PRODUCTS THAT ARE FIT FOR PURPOSE.

WITH EVERYONE’S SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION, TOGETHER WE WILL BE ABLE TO CRAFT ADAPTIVE, INCLUSIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS BUILT ON STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND SOUND SCIENCE. WHILE WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR PARTNERSHIPS, WE ALSO DEEPEN OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DENR’S DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS. ONE SUCH PARTNERSHIP IS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE DILG AND I’M VERY GRATEFUL TO SECRETARY BENHUR ABALOS, WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY, FOR HIS AND THE DILG’S CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM ON SECURITY, PEACE AND ORDER, FOREST AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, INCLUDING AGAINST THE RELEASE OF INVASIVE SPECIES.

I’D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MAYOR JERRY TRENAS FOR HIS VISION OF A CLIMATE AND DISASTER-RESILIENT ILOILO CITY AND THE INNOVATIVE BALANCE BETWEEN NATURE-BASED, DIGITAL, AND SOCIAL SOLUTIONS THAT DRIVE THE CITY FORWARD. BECAUSE OF HIS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, ILOILO CITY WAS AWARDED “BEYOND COMPLIANT” OF THE 22ND GAWAD KALASAG SEAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR LOCAL DRRM COUNCILS AND OFFICES. IN ADDITION, ILOILO’S I-BIKE PROGRAM WHICH PROMOTES THE BIKE CULTURE WON THE 2022 GALING POOK AWARD THAT ANNUALLY RECOGNIZES THE BEST AND MOST INNOVATIVE LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMS HARNESSING CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION AND DELIVERING POSITIVE RESULTS AND IMPACT.

THE VISAYAS REGION IS FACED WITH MANY CHALLENGES BUT IT IS ALSO RIFE WITH OPPORTUNITIES. CHALLENGES INCLUDE THE DESTRUCTION OF CRITICAL COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, INCREASED CLIMATE VULNERABILITY, AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, TO NAME A FEW. WE ARE, HOWEVER, NOT WITHOUT HOPE AND THIS IS WHERE OUR CLOSE COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP CAN YIELD THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RESULTS. THIS SYNERGY WILL GENERATE NEW CAPACITY FOR EVERYONE TO PROTECT, RESTORE, AND ENHANCE OUR RICH BUT THREATENED ECOSYSTEMS.

BEFORE I CLOSE, I’D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO A VIDEO (PLAY BULONG NG KALIKASAN VIDEO)

AFTER BULONG NG KALIKASAN VIDEO
I’D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF DILG SECRETARY BENHUR ABALOS. SECRETARY ABALOS PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE METROPOLITAN MANILA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND MAYOR AND CONGRESSMAN OF MANDALUYONG CITY. WHILE MAYOR, HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE OF CITIES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND UNION OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES. UNDER HIS HELM, MANDALUYONG RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS 2015 UNITED NATIONS PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD, SEAL OF GOOD LOCAL GOVERNANCE, AND MOST BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CITY IN THE PHILIPPINES, TO NAME A FEW. WITH THAT SAID, I’D LIKE TO INVITE SECRETARY ABALOS ONSTAGE TO SAY A FEW WORDS…
(SECRETARY ABALOS TO SPEAK)
THANK YOU SECRETARY ABALOS.

INTRO: SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA

TODAY’S ESTEEMED KEYNOTE SPEAKER HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF ALL FILIPINOS AND PROMOTING INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT. SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS DEPUTY HOUSE SPEAKER AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LONE DISTRICT OF THE PROVINCE OF ANTIQUE.

A RENOWNED CHAMPION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, LEGARDA HAS AUTHORED NUMEROUS LANDMARK LAWS FOR THE CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. HER INSPIRING ADVOCACY ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HAS EARNED HER GLOBAL RECOGNITION. SHE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A GLOBAL LEADER FOR TOMORROW BY THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM AND A UNEP LAUREATE. SHE IS ALSO CURRENTLY THE UNDRR GLOBAL CHAMPION FOR RESILIENCE, THE UNFCCC NATIONAL ADAPTATION PLAN CHAMPION, AND THE WOMEN POLITICAL LEADERS GLOBAL AMBASSADOR FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ON BEHALF OF THE DENR, I AM HONORED TO PRESENT THIS VIDEO MESSAGE FROM THE HONORABLE SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA.

(PLAY SEN. LEGARDA VIDEO)

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