Environment lawyers to be deployed in communities

MANILA, Philippines — Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has ordered the hiring of new lawyers on a contractual basis to be deployed in every Community and Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in the country.

He said the lawyers will be trained on environmental law enforcement to later give assistance on legal matters including resolution of land cases.

The move aims to strengthen the CENROs as the agency’s frontliners.

“You are in the frontline not only in the implementation of DENR programs, but also in the enforcement of environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the Clean Water Act,” Cimatu said.

Cimatu also urged his subordinates to continue serving the public with utmost honesty and excellence. He specifically emphasized that funds for the Enhanced National Greening Program shall be used solely for its implementation.                

The official added that field officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, particularly in Region 2, should continue protecting the Cagayan River against litter and other pollutants.

Cimatu made the call during his first visit to the regional office in Tuguegarao City over the weekend, noting the vast tracts of farmlands planted with rice and corn on his way from the Tuguegarao airport to the field offices of the DENR.

“The Cagayan River is the main source of irrigation water of the valley. Let us protect the river from litter and other pollutants,” Cimatu told the officials and employees of DENR-Region 2.

Located in the northeast of the region, Cagayan River is the longest river in the country, running around 520 kilometers. It is also the largest river basin in the Philippines, having a drainage area of 2.7 million hectares.