Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary and Concurrent Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Director Mario Luis J. Jacinto stressed the importance of the DENR and urged its employees and those in its attached Bureaus to “bridge the gap” between national government and the LGUs to make projects and programs more effective and beneficial to the people.
“We have to bridge that gap between the national and local government. Because only by doing so can we really expect programs and projects to be sustainable, to be successful, to be beneficial to the communities and the people,” he said during the flag ceremony at the DENR Central Office grounds in Quezon City this morning.
Jacinto also said that cooperation within the DENR, LGUs and other government agencies that need the Department’s assistance in terms of information or expertise, among others, will greatly affect the programs and projects to be implemented effectively. He also reminded that the DENR’s work impacts the daily lives of the people.
“So whatever sector we are in, it is always important that we look into our critical role in determining how we can best ensure that environment and natural resources management is something that is done rationally and that the laws, rules and regulations are synchronized and that we are able to optimize the resources that we have,” he said.
Jacinto stressed that the DENR is a major sector that plays a big role in poverty alleviation, especially in far-flung areas, by properly managing and protecting the country’s natural resources. The DENR also warrants the proper provision of livelihood and the rational use of the country’s natural resources.
“Environment and natural resources management is a major sector that will define whether the country will progress and where development can be attained in many areas, especially in the far-flung areas. Sustainability of our communities will depend on how well we are able to protect our environment,” he said. “
“It is important to make sure that we are able to synchronize the different programs and projects that we have on the identified needs of the different districts and provinces,” he added.
The DENR, its bureaus and attached agencies should do their best in ensuring the best management and proper utilization and allocation of the country’s natural resources. It is also imperative that the Department should share available and relevant data with everyone to provide information and proper assistance in terms of education, planning and assessment of situation.
“We have the capacity, we have the expertise and we are in the position to share,” Jacinto said.
By: Mineral Economics, Information and Publications Division