01/06/2017
2017 PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENT MONTH CELEBRATION ENCOURAGES CONNECTION TO NATURE
World Environment Day, which occurs on the 5th of June every year, and first celebrated in 1974, is the United Nation's principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment.
This year's celebration encourages people to show their collective love and appreciation for nature, hence the theme, "Connecting People to Nature", with the tagline, "I'm With Nature". Canada is the host country.
In the Philippines, the month of June has also been declared as the Philippine Environment Month, by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 237, signed in 1988, by then President Corazon Aquino. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is the primary focal agency, implementing various activities to raise awareness on the precious value of the environment, through its various bureaus, agencies, partners and stakeholders.
June 5, 2017 officially marks the beginning of the month-long celebration, through a series of exhibits which will be featured at the DENR Central Office grounds in Quezon City.
The Launch of Knowledge Products for Education for Sustainable Development Goals, with the theme, “Fostering Partnership for Sustainability through Education", an activity spearheaded by the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), and European Union (EU) Switch Asia Policy Support Component, will be held on June 6, 2017 at Crowne Plaza in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
On June 7 2017, the EMB's Environmental Quality Management Division (EQMD)- Chemicals Management Section (CMS), will be conducting a Regulators’ Training on Monomers and Polymers, including a teleconference with experts from the US Environmental Protection Agency and America Chemical Council, at the EMB Air Quality Management Training Center (AQMTC). On the other hand, a Public Consultation on Polymers' Policy and its Exemption will be held on June 29, 2017 at the EMB AQMTC.
The EMB's Environmental Education and Information Division (EEID), together with Hatch Eco Ideas and Young South East Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) will be conducting an orientation seminar entitled, "Greenducation", which aims to empower the Filipino Youth through environmental education and "green networking", also on June 7, 2017 at the EMB AQMTC. The said event will be attended by youth leaders from colleges and universities in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, the EMB together with Nestle Philippines will be conducting the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the 2017 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools at the Nestle Philippines office in Makati City. The nationwide search aims to recognize schools all over the country for their efforts in environmental protection and sustainable development, particularly on water conservation.
As part of its commitment to promote sound water quality, the EMB-DENR, thru its Central and National Capital Region offices will be conducting the National Water Quality Management Area Conference on June 21, 2017. On the other hand, June 24 2017 has been designated as a Simultaneous Clean-Up Day of all adopted water bodies nationwide, in support to the Adopt-an-Estero/Waterbody Program.
Connecting people to healthier air, and the importance and means of attainment and non-attainment areas in air quality management will be discussed in the 9th Annual Clean Air Forum, on June 22-23, 2017. This event is spearheaded by the DENR-EMB together with the member-organizations of the Partnership for Clean Air (PCA), and will be held at the Great Eastern Hotel in Quezon City.
On June 23, 2017, the DENR-EMB, together with the various institutions of the Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Education, UP Diliman, Quezon City Government, and the Earth Day Jam Foundation , will be holding "A Fair With Nature", at the UP Diliman Sunken Garden. The activity will feature environmental exhibits, symbolic human leaf formation, a free concert, as well as the awarding of the winners of the "Infographics for the Environment Design” Contest.
In order to raise awareness, as well as highlight various best practices on solid waste management, the EMB's Solid Waste Management Division will be conducting the 3rd Integrated Ecological Solid Waste Management Expo and Environment Summit from June 28-30, 2017 at SM Aura in Taguig. Meanwhile, an exhibit on Recycling and Solid Waste Management will be held at the TESDA Green Technology Center in Taguig, also on June 28-30, 2017.
The EMB National Capital Region will continue to host its radio program on all Sundays of June. The program, entitled, "Tinig ng Kalikasan" airs on Radyo ng Bayan, DZRB 738 KHZ, every Sunday at 9:30 am.
Biodiversity, protected areas and wildlife are also areas of concern during the month-long celebration. The week of June 4-10, 2017 has been declared as the Philippine Eagle Week, while June 8, 2017 marks the celebration of World Oceans Day.
The DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), through its National Parks Division will be conducting a series of learning events on protected area policies in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Bataan and Iloilo City during the whole month of June. While on June 1-2, 2017, the BMB's Caves, Wetlands and Other Ecosystems Division will be conducting a learning event on mainstreaming Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Legazpi City, Albay.
On June 11-15 2017, the BMB's Coastal and Marine Division will be spearheading the Tri-National Workshop on the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Eco-Region (SSME).
The DENR’s Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) through its Forest and Timber Resources Research Center (FTRRC) will be conducting a series of tree planting activities on June 14, 23 and 25, 2017 at designated FTRRC Experimental areas in Regions 9, 10 and 13. Meanwhile, the ERDB's Urban Ecosystems Research Division (UERD), will be conducting a Congress on Sustainable Urbanization in the Course of ASEAN Economic Integration on June 26-30 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.
Various other environmental activities will be pursued by the DENR/EMB Regional Offices for the entire month of June. # # #
