PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENT MONTH
JUNE 26, 2023
SECRETARY MARIA ANTONIA YULO LOYZAGA
WELCOME REMARKS
HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS, JR.
HONORABLE SPEAKER FERDINAND MARTIN ROMUALDEZ
SENATOR CYNTHIA VILLAR
SECRETARY ANTONIO LAGDAMEO, JR.
SECRETARY JOSE RIZALINO ACUZAR
SECRETARY CHELOY GARAFIL
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERS
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE DENR’S CELEBRATION OF PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENT MONTH, THE 160TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PHILIPPINE FORESTRY SERVICE, PHILIPPINE ARBOR DAY, AND THE ADVANCED CELEBRATION OF DENR’S 36TH ANNIVERSARY. ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT, I WISH TO EXTEND OUR WARMEST WELCOME AND THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT AND OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS FOR JOINING US TODAY.
BY BEGINNING WITH THE TREE PLANTING, WE REMIND OURSELVES THE ESSENTIAL IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS IN MAINTAINING ECOLOGICAL BALANCE AND INTEGRITY, IN MITIGATING AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AND TO ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY. THEY ARE OUR LIFE SUPPORT, WITHOUT WHICH WATER, ENERGY AND FOOD SECURITY WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.
THE SITE ON WHICH THE PRESIDENT’S MOLAVE SEEDLING, AND THE OTHER SEEDLINGS PLANTED BY THE OTHERS, ALSO HOLD SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE – THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES PARK WAS ESTABLISHED IN REMEMBRANCE OF ALL THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY’S ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
TODAY, THE TASK OF CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION CONTINUES IN THE HANDS OF 100 MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CORE FOREST MANAGEMENT BUREAU, OUR FOREST RANGERS, WHO IN SOME CASES COVER BETWEEN 2,000 TO 4,000 HECTARES FOR A SINGLE RANGER, LOCAL FOREST PROTECTION OFFICERS AND OUR PARTNERS IN THE DILG, THE AFP, AND THE DOJ WHO SUPPORT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.
AS THE CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND INCREASE OF OUR FORESTS ARE ALL CRITICAL TO INCLUSIVE, RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, THE DENR’S TARGET PRIORITIZATION OF ONE MILLION HECTARES OF CLASSIFIED FOREST AREAS FOR AFFORESTATION AND REFORESTATION WILL SUPPORT LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS SO THAT NO ONE AND NO COMMUNITY IS LEFT BEHIND, AND ACCELERATE DELIVERY OF OUR GLOBAL COMMITMENTS TOWARDS BUILDING A LOW CARBON, GREEN AND BLUE FUTURE.
TO ACHIEVE THESE, PARTNERSHIPS WITH THOSE GENUINELY COMMITTED ARE CRITICAL AS THE DENR CANNOT ACHIEVE THESE ALONE. WE NEED TO WORK ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, WITH AGENCIES AND LGUS, THE ACADEME, PRIVATE SECTOR, AND NON-GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATIONS TO PROTECT, ENHANCE AND SUSTAINABLY MANAGE OUR FOREST RESOURCES. THIS CONVERGENCE WILL ENSURE THAT THE GOALS OF THE COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT – WHICH STARTED WITH THE INTEGRATED SOCIAL FORESTRY PROGRAM OF THE GOVERNMENT, ESTABLISHED BY PRESIDENT FERDINAND E. MARCOS IN 1982 – ALONG WITH THOSE OF OUR PHILIPPINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2023-2028 ARE FULLY REALIZED.
WE ARE STEWARDS OF ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST MEGADIVERSE COUNTRIES, OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD LOOK TO US TO PROVIDE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THIS GENERATION AND THE GENERATIONS TO COME TRULY DESERVE.
THE DENR FOREST MANAGEMENT BUREAU, UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION’S LEADERSHIP, LEADS THE WAY TOWARDS CLIMATE AND DISASTER RESILIENCE, THE PROTECTION OF LIFE ON LAND AND UNDERWATER, AND TO POVERTY REDUCTION – THUS DELIVERING BOTH NATIONAL AND GLOBAL DIVIDENDS TOWARDS INCLUSIVE, RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
ON THIS NOTE, IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE OUR GUEST OF HONOR, PRESIDENT FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS, JR. ##
