The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) honored its best performing field officials in 2021 during the “Gabi ng Parangal at Pagpupugay,” in celebration of the agency’s 35th founding anniversary and the Philippine Environment Month.

The Environmental Awards for Governance and Leadership Excellence or the EAGLE recognizes the outstanding DENR officials’ exemplary leadership and major accomplishments and contributions in pursuing the agency’s goals and objectives.

Named as the “Most Outstanding Regional Executive Director” was Jacqueline A. Caancan of the DENR-National Capital Region. She received a trophy and a cash prize of P100,000.

Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 1 Regional Director Maria Dorica Naz-Hipe and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 5 Regional Director Guillermo A. Molina Jr. were the awardees for the EAGLE-EMB and EAGLE-MGB categories, respectively.

Agusan del Sur forester Jose Flavio V. Concha was conferred with the EAGLE-Supervising Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) award, while Sorsogon forester Tito R. Migo was awarded the EAGLE-Implementing PENRO.

The four awardees each received a trophy and P75,000.

Meanwhile, forester Jerome H. Albia of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur received the EAGLE-Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer award. He received a trophy and P50,000.

Special Awards for meritorious performance were also given to DENR exemplary performers, namely Arleigh J. Adorable, OIC Assistant Director for Field Operations-Western Mindanao who was also an EAGLE awardee for the Regional Executive Director category in 2018 and 2020; and Ma. Victoria V. Abrera, Regional Director-EMB-Cordillera Administrative Region, also an EAGLE awardee for EMB regional director for the same years.

DENR Acting Secretary Jim O. Sampulna said that the importance of the agency’s mandate “drives us to strive for excellence in all that we do for the protection of the environment and the sustainable management of our natural resources.”

He added: “The challenges we face provide us the opportunity to look for ways to improve our processes and systems, because the public deserves nothing less. We hope that the EAGLE continues for it is a very useful tool in promoting a culture of organizational and leadership excellence.”

The EAGLE assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of the field officials in delivering their office functions.

Finalists underwent two phases of performance evaluation.

Phase 1 is on determination of efficiency/effectiveness in the delivery of service/product outputs/results which comprised 60 percent of the total rating, while Phase 2 is on the determination of leadership qualities based on subordinate survey to gather personal perception on performance among superiors, subordinates and peers which make up 40 percent of the total rating.

They were judged based on the five leadership qualities namely, integrity, service orientation, network building, strategic focus and management acumen. Further validation of network building capabilities of the top three field officials was conducted to determine the extent of their coordination with the local government units in the implementation of DENR programs and projects.

The implementation of the EAGLE is pursuant to Executive Order No. 192, or the Reorganization Act of the DENR, Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 2001-01, or the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence, and the DENR Rationalization Plan approved by the Department of Budget and Management.

The guidelines for the award are provided for under the DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2019-04 issued on March 8, 2019 and as amended by DAO No. 2021-18 issued on June 25, 2021.###