Service-on-Wheels brings environmental services to island towns
Recently, environment Secretary Antonia Loyzaga set foot in Siargao island to spearhead the implementation of its project Transdisciplinary Approach for Resilience and Environmental Sustainability through Multistakeholder Engagament (TRANSFORM) and to deliver services closer to the people through DENR's 'Services on Wheels,' to include the application for tree cutting in disposable and alienable lands, application for transport of forest products, certification of land status, geohazard assessment and mapping, online application for environmental compliance certificate, application for permit to operate, application for waste water discharge permit and the timely processing of Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs).
The secretary said that project TRANSFORM is the integrated resilience and sustainability program of the DENR that engages the whole of society in implementing programs to alleviate poverty, enhance community resilience and promote public-private partnerships, and as a whole the project will help in area protection, water, energy and food supplies, and augment fund allocation in the ecological sector, provide greenhouse gases measures in the social sector, and provide resource-based enterprise development in the economic sector.
Secretary Loyzaga further said that the project will support the DENR's new environment and natural resources resiliency framework to deliver environmental, social and economic gains for local government units nationwide.
Meanwhile, the DENR's service-on-wheels is a one stop that will provide and cater communities in far-flung areas with a routinary hassle-free basic services for locals and lessen its travels activity just to avail the DENR's services. "The DENR is here to support all LGUs and all partners on their journey towards resilience.
"This support will cover ridge-to-reef and we will work with you in managing forests, coastal and marine habitats, land use, solid waste, and water," said Loyzaga.
She added that DENR is looking forward to working with the provincial government and other partners in crafting the proposed Siargao Development Masterplan and in facilitating investments in nature-based and gray-green solutions through multistakeholders partnerships.
On their part, the mayors of the recipient municipalities thanked the concerned agencies for giving their constituents the ease in doing business and looking forward for a sustainable partnership with other private organizations and institutions. The agencies that conducted the activity are the representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office- Surigao del Norte, Protected Area Management Unit (PAMU), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB). (Susil D. Ragas-PIA Surigao del Norte/DENR-Surigao del Norte)
