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Friday, April 28, 2006
Speakout: Let's look deeper
By Alicia L. Lustica, Ph. D.
OIC, Regional Technical Director, ERDS
Officer-in-Charge
IT IS WITH deep regret that our fiends in the different organizations often give insulting comments to our office. This is in reference to the article "DENR: Lagpak on Earth Day" that was published in your Tuesday issue dated April 25, 2006. Perhaps this is a manifestation of our being a Filipino whose character and traits had been tainted with the different cultures in the past.
While some NGOs like the Sagip Movement of Pasig (SPM) and the partylist group Akbayan had insulted us by giving the DENR the "Lapastangan at Gahasa sa Kalikasan" or "Lagpak awards" as stated by the article, we at the DENR, if given the opportunity would also like to give these NGOs their share of a failure award because as citizens of the Philippines, they could have done a better support to the DENR by not criticizing but rather would have promoted programs that will help in the preservation of our environment. For what was a tangible project they have done to save our rivers and seas against pollution? Before they would see the dirt from eyes. These NGOs had devised some projects to be funded by foreign institutions in the guise of environmental rehabilitation but nothing had been done so far. In their failure to do their own part, they put the blame all to the DENR.
We do not blame the author who had summarized all the possible factors that could have contributed to the destruction of the ozone layer, but he should have made an analysis on the scientific processes that led to the ozone destructrion before he had concluded such opinion. If our Regional Executive Director had only spoken about the Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) and not mentioning other sources of ozone depletion in one of the respected Engineers in our region and should not be treated as if he does not know anything about climate change.
This is his forte.
Disaster like the oil spill, cyanide spills, and other incidents like these were all accidents and could not be blamed to DENR. Truly nobody wants to encounter accidents like this. In this world where technology is fast advancing, we must expect that there will be more harmful effects not only to the environment but also to the human health. This is why DENR is so cautions in the issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificate and sees to it that guidelines and procedures are followed
I the case of coal-fired power plant, the decision lies in the hand of the public that is why one of the requirements is the approval of the communities and other stakeholders directly affected by the industry. The DENR will only process and approve the ECC if all of the requirements had been met. One of the most important requirements is public approval and acceptance of the project. Then why blame the DENR? It is the community and the local government who was the final say whether a coal-fired power plant shall be established in their area. It is not the DENR. The proponents conduct public hearings and the DENR's presence is only to assure that all the environmental concerns both positive and negative are being discussed and presented to the public.
What happened to the old mining firms that were not covered by the new Mining Act of 1995? What we will do is to rehabilitate all these abandoned mining areas that were left by the proponents, as it was not embedded in their former agreements. This is one of the priorities of Secretary Reyes. The new Mining Act has all the safety nets that were based from sad experience in the past. This is what we mean of "Responsible Mining".
The DENR covers the wider responsibility and a complex existence of the universe. It is only mandated to regulate, to lead the conservation, to give technical assistance for the preservation of our resources, and to protect it from abuse and illegal destruction. The rest lie in the hands of all the people living here on the earth. The blame is not on the shoulder of the DENR. We are all responsible for our environment. Instead of giving negative criticism and insults, we must work together for our own good.
I hope you will find space to print this long letter so that the public can understand who is to blame and what should be done to correct all mistakes of the past. We need the support of the media to educate people of their environmental responsibilities.
Regards and more power.
(April 28, 2006 issue)
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