DENR’s Negros office opens

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural office for the Negros Island Region has already been established and operational since Friday last week, January 1.

Because of this, DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo has advised the public to transact and submit environment-related documents concerning Negros Oriental to the newly-installed department.

Montejo said these documents and other concerns should already be addressed directly to Regional Director Al Orolfo at their DENR interim office in Abad Santos Street, Barangay 39, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental.

He already turned over the work and financial plan to Orolfo for Negros Oriental during the installation ceremony held at the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Bacolod City last December 21.

“We welcome the new leadership of Regional Director Orolfo for the Negros Island Region and starting January 1 we no longer have the accountability for Negros Oriental but we will be providing all the assistance needed for the transition,” Montejo said.

To recall, President Benigno Aquino III signed on May 29 Executive Order 183, separating Negros Occidental from Western Visayas and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas and putting the two provinces into the new NIR. He then directed all national agency heads to name interim directors not later than October 1, and complete their offices by January 1.

Through Memorandum Circular 81, the president also directed all national government agencies “to extend full assistance in the transition to the Negros Island Region.”

Prior to being named NIR regional director, Orolfo was assigned as the regional technical director for the Protected Areas Wildlife, Coastal Zone Management Services in Region 7 and assistant regional director in technical services in Region 5.

During his installation, Orolfo said he was up to the challenge as regional director and mentioned that the top PENROs in the country are from Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.   (FREEMAN)