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FOREIGN-ASSISTED AND SPECIAL PROJECTS SERVICE
eLibrary

Saving the Philippine Environment

Title: Saving the Philippine Environment
Year of Publication: September 2004 - 2005
Implementing Agency: Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Author: Michael T. Defensor
Background: The first twelve months of the administration of Secretary Michael T. Defensor have also seen the wise utilization of natural resources to promote national growth, alleviate poverty in the countryside and provide opportunities to the poor.
At the outset, we were determined to immediately turn around the country's forest system to enable it to regain its ecological functions of providing a cleaner and healthier environment with sufficient water, clean air, and habitat for biodiversity and endangered species with negligibly-adverse effects of run-off water on the lowlands. 
But the devastationg landsline that hit Aurora and Quezon in November 2004 and klled 783 person (with 342 missing) and damaged 13,751 houses also served as out impetus for enforcing a more intensive anti illegal logging campaign. Jolted by this tragedy, President Arroyo immediately declared a total log ban nationwide, which the DENR implemented with great resolve along with other complementary efforts to prevent a similar disaster anywhere else in the country.
While promoting increased production and utilization of natural resources to support economic growth and provide jobs and incom to poor households in the urban, rural and upland areas, we also instituted additional and innovative safeguards to ensure that these are done in a resoinsuble and sustainable manner, without degrading the environment and sacrificing the needs of future generations.
We have shifted our emphasis from policy formilation to enforcement and compliance.
In our mission to protect, conserve and utilize our country's natural resources, bias was accorded to the pood and disadvantaged households. Sustainable Development or the promotion of economic production, environmental protection and social equity became the hallmark of our work over the past 12 months
 

TWELVE MONTHS are not enough to reverse the serious damage on the Philippine environment brought by several decades of neglect, apathy and misplaced priorities in the management of our natural resources.
But for the present administration of the Departnment of Natural Resources, one year was enough to set off a series of bold, judicious and high impact moves to end the vicious cycle of environmental degradation and establish the most extensive protection mechanisms for forestry, biodiversity and the environment. 
 

Author: 
Michael T. Defensor
Subject: 
Forestry
File: 
PDF icon saving the Philippine Environment(PDF).pdf
Project Title: 
Saving the Philippine Environment
Publication Type: 
Book