Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has urged governors and mayors to show a “decisive environmental leadership” and sustain the gains fueled by President Rodrigo Duterte’s strong political will and commitment to address the most pressing environmental problems.
He met with 74 governors and 1,538 city and municipal mayors at the recent “The Assembly of Governors and Mayors” in Manila, where the President gave local executives his marching order to intensify the war against the illegal drug, corruption, extremism, and communist insurgency.
He reminded the governors and mayors to show political will and take the initiative, and not to wait for the national government to intervene.
He assured the governors and mayors support from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to capacitate their competence in addressing and implementing priority environmental concerns and projects within their jurisdictions.
“The DENR can and will provide technical support on a broad range of concerns from geohazard mapping to reforestation, to the management of solid waste and air and water pollution,” he said.
He prodded them not to balk from enforcing environmental laws, and that he is mobilizing the entire DENR workforce from the central, regional, provincial and community levels to assist them “as long as they do their part.”
He called on the local government units to help address the country’s vulnerability to climate change hazards through a convergence approach highlighting the key role of local authorities in the transition to more sustainable ways of environmental governance.
“You have control over business permits and land use and development,” Cimatu told the local officials.
He warned of adverse environmental impacts if such control is not properly exercised.
“LGUs have the autonomy, as well as the duty, to improve environmental conditions in their areas,” he said.
He reminded them of their mandate “to create conditions that can determine whether or not the pursuit of local development can or cannot be environmentally sustainable.”
According to the DENR chief, there are eight provinces identified as most vulnerable to climate change hazards.
These are Masbate, Sorsogon, Negros Oriental, Samar, Saranggani, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands.