DENR surpasses goals in environment program

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has surpassed its targets even before 2017 ends.

“As early as October, we have already met and exceeded our annual targets in most of the program activities, with accomplishments ranging from 100 to 138 percent,” Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said.

The agency’s program on solid waste management topped the list of its major accomplishments at 138 percent, having assisted 321 local government units on proper closure and rehabilitation of open and controlled dumpsites within water quality management areas (WQMAs) and the Manila Bay region, out of the original target of 233 LGUs.

At 135 percent, DENR’s program on the management of protected areas and ecotourism development was its second accomplishment for the year, with various Protected Area Management Boards approving a total of 997 resolutions from the target of 736.

Likewise, the National Greening Program (NGP) had a 116 percent accomplishment rate in terms of the number of persons employed, 55,805 from the target of 47,981.

In terms of the number of quality planting materials or seedlings, the program produced a total of 1.1 million, which is 14 percent higher than its target of 980,000.

As of October, the government’s flagship reforestation program covered an area of 178,148 hectares or 93 percent of the overall target.

Furthermore, the department’s clean water program had an accomplishment rate in terms of the number of firms monitored for compliance with the Clean Water Act of 106 percent, while the number of new esteros and water bodies at 109 percent and the number of WQMAs operationalized at 100 percent.

Through its geo-hazard assessment and mapping program, the DENR was able to update the 1:1,000 scale geo-hazard maps of 21 LGUs while the detailed sub-surface assessments of its 15 targeted LGUs have also been completed.

The DENR also met its targets under the geospatial data infrastructure program of 100 percent in system analysis and 96 percent in program development.

From the original target of 421, a total of 429 forest protection officers were hired under the agency’s forest protection program.

Under its coastal and marine ecosystems management program, the DENR was able to provide technical assistance to all targeted 85 LGUs.

It was also able to assess and map 94,116 coastal habitats for potential livelihood opportunities, from the original target of 85,592.

The DENR’s clean air program had operated, maintained and calibrated 98 out of the 101 sampling stations; monitored 12,508 of the 13,791 firms in the Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzula area and major centers on their compliance with the Clean Air Act of 1999; and calibrated 34 of 45 automatic air quality monitoring stations nationwide.