Ligao City recognized as LGU Eco Champion during the 1st Philippine Environment Summit

The City Government of Ligao is one of the three (3) cities in the country to be recognized as LGU Eco Champion by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) during the 1st Philippine Environment Summit on February 9-11, 2016 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.

Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez Alsua (2nd from right) and City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Maria Soledad T. Preña (3rd from right) received the award during the 1st Philippine Environment Summit

Organized by the Green Convergence, the Philippine Environment Summit aims to discuss environmental problems and issues and feature innovations that promote sustainable development.

As part of the three-day conference, the summit awards LGUs for their “outstanding contributions and excellence in adoption and practice of sustainability as called for in Philippine Agenda 21[1]” through the National Search for LGU Eco Champions.

LGU Eco Champions are identified through a national survey of LGUs compliance to various Philippine Environmental Rules and Regulations such as:

• R.A. #8749 (Clean Air Act 1999) 
• R.A. #9275 (Clean Water Act) 
• R.A. #9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management) 
• R.A. #9729 (Climate Change Act) and E.O. #774 (Reorganizing the Presidential Task Force on CC) 
• R.A. #10121 (Strengthening DRRM) 
• PD #1151/1586 AO #42 EIA/EIS 
• R.A. #7160 Local Government Code 
• R.A. #6969 Hazardous Wastes 
• E.O #23 Moratorium on Timber Cutting 
• E.O. #26 National Greening Program 
• PD # 953 Tree Planting Program 
• R.A. #10068 Organic Agriculture Environmental Governance 

Ligao City was also recognized for implementing environmental programs[1] which are beyond compliance with the existing laws such as:

Organized Illegal Fishing and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Protection Task Force composed of the City Government headed by Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Office of Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez/3rd District of Albay, the DENR, the Philippine Army, the PNP, and the municipality of Pioduran;

Establishment of a 135-hectare Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve (FSMR) under City Ordinance No. 2008-009 which successfully regenerated coral reef and enhanced marine biodiversity for increased fishery resources; and

Establishment of Conservation Farming Villages designed to implement farming practices in the upland to sustain livelihood, agricultural productivity, and healthier ecosystem.

To complete the list, the following LGUs are the finalists of the National Search for LGU Eco Champion under each category:

City Ligao City, Albay San Carlos City, Negros Occidental San Fernando City, La Union	Province Albay Aurora Negros Occidental
Municipalities Bacolod, Lanao del Norte Lucban, Quezon Province San Mateo, Isabela	NCR Makati City Parañaque City Pasig City Quezon City Valenzuela City

[1] 1st Philippine Environment Summit Souvenir Program

Written by Lala Peñafiel / albay3d.blogspot.com

Ligao City holds 3-day workshop on Forest Land Use Planning

Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez talks before the participants of the 3-day workshop on forest land use planning.

The City Government of Ligao in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 3rd Congressional District of Albay, and Deutsche Geselschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, is currently holding a three-day workshop on Forest Land Use Planning on 1 July 2015 and will continue through 3 July 2015. Officials from different barangays and the local government were among the stakeholders in the workshop.

The government conducts forest land use planning to properly allocate and manage forest and forestlands (FFL) as natural resources. Likewise, the planning aims to balance the production activities and protection of forest and conservation of biodiversity. The Forest Land Use Plan (FLUP), an expected output from the workshop, shall be integrated in the LGU’s Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) [1].

OIC-CENR Officer Marlon S. Francia of DENR Regional Office V said that the goal of forest land use planning is to preserve the forest and biodiversity, and attain a sustainable economic growth despite the increase in human population, land conversion, and globalization.

Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua seeks the cooperation of the stakeholders to actively participate throughout the three-day workshop as this will ease the flow of planning and production of the mandated FLUP.

[1] FMB Technical Bulletin No. 2 Forest Land Use Planning. Forest Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, FMB Building, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines. April 2014

Written by Lala Peñafiel