By Franklin P. Gumapon
PAGADIAN
CITY – As the regional center for region 9 has been transferred
from Zamboanga City to Pagadian City, the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR)-9 has inaugurated on Friday, April 17, its new regional office
building erected at the President Corazon C. Aquino Regional Government Center
in Barangay Balintawak this city.
Addressing
the audience comprising some city government officials, provincial officials, Congressman
Victor Yu, Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-9 staff, DENR-9 regional office
staff as well as personnel from the different Provincial Environment and
Natural Resources (PENROs) and Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices
(CENROs) throughout the region, Undersecretary Demetrio L. Ignacio Jr. said the
construction of the new regional office building here in the city is a proof of
“DENR-9’s commitment to support the transfer of the regional center to Pagadian
City” as mandated under Executive Order No. 429 issued by former President
Corazon C. Aquino.
Undersecretary
Ignacio was sent to deliver the speech of Secretary Ramon JP. Paje, who was in
South Korea attending the World Water Summit.
“It
is almost 40 years since DENR-9 constructed a regional office building. To have
an office that gives us the dignity we deserve, the new regional office now
stands on a 1.4-hectare lot donated by the city government of Pagadian within
the newly created President Corazon C. Aquino Regional Government Center,”
Secretary Paje said in his message as read by Ignacio.
Paje
also reminded the DENR personnel that their agency “is primarily tasked to
manage, conserve, protect and sustain the environment and natural resources,
serving as the forefront in implementing programs and projects that can
directly reduce poverty, strengthen food security, mitigate impact of climate
change, protect biodiversity, geo-hazard mapping, pollution control, stimulate
economic growth and establish political stability.”
On
the other hand, Congressman Victor Yu of Zamboanga del Sur’s first district has
commended the DENR for immediately complying with the order to transfer its
regional office to Pagadian City. In fact, he said, DENR-9 was the first agency
to construct its regional office at the regional government center.
Other
agencies which have started constructing their regional offices there are the
Office of Civil Defense (OCD), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Bureau
of the Treasury, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the
National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).