|
The Mines and Geosciences
Bureau in Bicol (MGB-V) joined on April 1 to 4, 2008 the Luzon
Cluster of the Earth Day Peoples caravan that started in Alen,
Samar and ended – up at
SM Mall in Pampanga.
The Luzon Cluster includes the
regional offices of the MGB, Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) and Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)
in Region 1, 2, 3, 4A, 5, 8, Cordillera Administrative Region
(CAR) and the National Capital Region (NCR).
Region 3 started the caravan on
March 25 in Dangalan,
Aurora followed by
Region 8 on March 31 in Alen, Samar
and linked with Region 5 contingent in Matnog, Sorsogon on April
1. Up north, Region 2 started in Praxedes, Cagayan along with
CAR in Apayao, both on April 1 while Region 1 on April 2 in
Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte and all converged on April 4 at SM Mall
in San Fernando,
Pampanga.
The Matnog to Pampanga route
involves 8 stop-over, with ranking DENR, MGB, EMB and LGU
officials in Bicol attending the designated program for every
stop-over. Each stop-over was highlighted by: Ceremonial tree
planting at Matnog Port compound, Matnog, Sorsogon (April 1);
Tree planting at the Provincial Capitol compound, Anti-smoke
Belching, Handog Titulo and Signing of a MOA on DENR Adopt A
Mojon Program at the Sorsogon Provincial Capitol, Sorsogon City
(April 1); Forum on Geo-hazard and Signing of a MOA on mangrove
rehabilitation in Albay at Albay Provincial Capitol, Legazpi
City (April 1); Tour of the Camarines Sur provincial capitol
ground, Presentation of the Bicol River Basin and Watershed Mgt.
Council, Signing of a MOA on Libmanan-Pulantuna Watershed Mgt.
Council and Signing of Pledge of Commitment at the Camarines Sur
Provincial Capitol, Pili, Camarines Sur (April 2); Media
dialogue with RED Fragada, where MESD Chief Sulpicio B. Bernardo
III clarifies issues regarding the El Dore Mining Corp. in Labo,
Camarines Norte, Signing of a MOA-Watershed Mgt. Council and
Handog Titulo at the Camarines Norte Sports Complex, Camarines
Norte (April 2); Media inter-action with RED Fragada and
Turn-over of land documents from DENR-4A to DENR-5 at SM Lucena,
Lucena City (April 3); Launching of Earth Day Countdown,
Turn-over of Countdown Tarpaulin and Signing of Pledge of
Commitment at Music Hall, Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Metro Manila
(April 3); and the caravan Culmination Program, graced by DENR
Secretary Lito Atienza, at SM Pampanga, San Fernando, Pampanga
(April 4).
The 2 other clusters include
the Visayas (Region 4B, 6 and 7) and Mindanao
(Region 9, 10, 11 and 12). The Visayas caravan took off on April
7 and converged on April 12 in Boracay, Aklan while the
Mindanao
cluster started on April 14 and converged on april 18 in Cagayan
De Oro City.
The Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
clusters caravan, with the bannered theme “Lakbay Para Sa
Kalikasan: Lakbay Para Sa Buhay At Kinabukasan” served as a
prelude to the World Earth Day Celebration last April 22 and
were launched nationwide by the DENR to raise awareness among
Filipinos on the destructive effects of climate change and
environmental pollution. (LValdez 4/11/08) |
