Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje underscores the various programs to improve the country’s natural defenses and resiliency such as the massive watershed rehabilitation, log ban in natural forests and geohazard assessment and mapping during the climate change forum held Thursday at the National Museum in Manila. He also thanked France President François Hollande (seated, left) for the continuing support extended by his government to the country’s climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. The forum was part of the visit to the Philippines by Pres. Hollande in preparation for the 21st Conference of Parties in Paris in December 2015. Also in photo is French Special Envoy for the Protection of the Planet Nicolas Hulot.###
A clean up of the Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources drew positive response from various stakeholders, including these nuns and other members of the Franciscan Sister of the Transfiguration (formerly Daughters of St. Francis of Florence, DSFF). The clean-up was part of the celebration of the protected area’s first anniversary as a Ramsar Site. Comprising of 175 hectares of mangroves and mudflats, LPPCHEA is the only declared critical habitat within Metro Manila and the sixth Philippine area included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance in March 2013. ###
Calapan City Bishop Monsignor Warlito Cajandig blesses the marker for the Naujan Lake National Park in simple rites coinciding with the launch of “Bangklase,” an innovative education shipboard project, in Socorro, Oriental Mindoro. Declared as a Ramsar Site or “wetland of international importance,” Naujan Lake boasts of rich biodiversity and serves as a critical area for breeding and migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. Also in the photo are Regional Director Oscar C. Dominguez (left) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - MIMAROPA Region and Fr. Anthony Ibarra B. Fabella, president of the Divine Word College of Calapan (DWCC).
Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) Director Mundita Lim (2nd from left) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) president Gina Mapua (2nd from right) present the five-year BMB-WBCP agreement formalizing their collaboration to pursue activities that would ensure the protection of Philippine birds in the wild as well as the conservation of their habitats, including the operation of a WBCP-run rehabilitation facility for rescued wild birds in support to BMB’s Wildlife Rescue Center. Also in photo are BMB-Priority Programs Executive Director Vincent Hilomen, and WBCP member Christina Cinco (right).
The globally important Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) have been added to the prestigious list of Southeast Asia’s most treasured parks, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje announced on Wednesday. Paje said that environment ministers from the 10 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have approved the nomination of the MHRWS and the TRNP as the 34th and 35th ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP), respectively, during the 15th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment held on October 29-31 in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
“The designation of TRNP and MHRWS as regional heritage parks is long overdue, both having been named earlier as UNESCO World Heritage Sites,” Paje said.The environment chief said the country was delighted by the designation, which brings to seven the total number of AHP from the Philippines. “This latest recognition indicates that the natural characteristics of both TRNP and MHRWS are so exceptional they deserve to be protected for the benefit of everyone in Southeast Asia,” Paje pointed out The nomination of the two parks was facilitated by Director Theresa Mundita Lim of the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Lawyer Roberto Oliva, executive director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, said the two nature parks are now part of the AHP Programme, a regional network of national protected areas of high conservation importance, preserving a complete spectrum of respective ecosystems to generate greater awareness, pride, appreciation, enjoyment and conservation of ASEAN’s rich biodiversity.
The five other AHPs in the country are the Mt. Apo Natural Park, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, and Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park, all in Mindanao; the Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park in Occidental Mindoro; and the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve in Laguna
