Japan-funded program yields environmental experts

For the years 2000 and 2001, most foreign scholarship programs granted to government agencies in the country by various donor countries were garnered by DENR.

This was announced by Edith Abergas of NEDA during a consultative meeting held in Imperial Palace Suites, Quezon City on Aug. 5, 2002. The meeting was organized by the Human Resource Management Service (HRMS)-DENR headed by director Adeluisa G. Siapno, and attended by DENR partner institutions on foreign scholarships.

NEDA presented the list of availment of top 10 agency beneficiaries of scholarship programs for the past six years. For 2000 and 2001, DENR ranked first with 109 and 94 slots, while the Department of Agriculture ranked second had 69 and 80 slots, respectively.

For such accomplishment, the HRMS acknowledged the cooperation of the NEDA, Department of Foreign Affairs and the National Statistics Office.

Japan through its Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided the most number of scholarship grants with 26 out of 94 grantees for this year. Other donor countries included the Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, India, Korea, Republic of Germany and Sweden. On the field of specialization, environment topped the list, followed by forestry and mining.

The scholarships granted by Japan yielded experts mostly in Urban and Industrial Environmental Management (UIEM), Air Pollution Source Monitoring Management (APSMM), and Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia.

The UIEM enhanced the capability of DENR on the efficient administrative system for environmental management, monitoring of pollution and environmental degradation, waste management and resource recovery technology, among others.

The APSMM on the other hand, increased its capability in designing and implementing appropriate policy and measures for air pollution, and monitoring air pollution source caused by industries and vehicles including soot/dust, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxide, and other toxic substances.

The course on acid deposition has developed/enhanced awareness on the damages brought by acid deposition on forests, lakes and other ecosystem, skills on monitoring acid deposition in atmospheric, water and soil systems, and technology in reducing emission of substances that cause the deposition.