CENRO Research Paper

Environmental Science| Ms. Romeliza Perez

G8 - Insulin
CENRO Officials: Sir Allen B. Angeles and Ms. Melanie de Salvador
CENRO | Information from: Sir Allen B. Angeles, Acting CENRO official and Ms.
Melanie de Salvador

CENRO is the City Environment and Natural Resources Office that handles
environmental protection for the city (of Pasig). CENRO has laws that are implemented
which protect the environment as well as conserve our natural resources. Currently,
CENRO has different ordinances for air, water, solid wastes and land preservation. These
ordinances serve as the tools of the office to help properly implement laws and to give
awareness regarding the importance of laws and policies in preserving the environment.
According to CENRO official Allen B. Angeles, these are the main functions and
purposes of CENRO particularly in Pasig.

Said the Acting CENRO/SWMO sir. Allen, there are several plans and strategies
such as the Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) and the 2009 Climate Change
Act that are implemented locally or within the whole Philippines. However, the plans that
are being implemented at present in the city of Pasig is the Climate Change Act, Solid
Waste Management and etc.; however, these plans differ in terms of the implementation
in different cities and in the local level.

There are also plans that were started and first implemented by Pasig that are
being benchmarked by other local cities and provinces and other local units. Recently,
local units from Mindanao, Rizal and the city of Antipolo have initiated actions towards
equality monitoring alongside Pasig. These mentioned local units have also been aware
of Pasig's actions towards water conservation, pollution and solid wastes such as carless
Sundays or carless weekends. These are some programs and practices that play a
significant role in making Pasig a role model for other units in the Philippines regarding
the protection and conservation of the Environment.

He stated that "we are guided by several laws", some of these laws said were the
Clean Water Act and Clear Air Act as well as R.A. 9003 or the Solid Waste Management
Act (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000). These are the actions that serve
as guides from the local government of DENR (Department of Environment and Nature
Resources) and the devolved local units. DENR provides mandates for our water base,
the revival of our Manila Bay; these are the continuing mandates of the Supreme Court
and the national government in the implementation of environmental laws. The local and
national government also provides some assistance such as air quality monitoring
devices, car emission monitor, and many more and more importantly is the training that
the government provides the people. "The several outlines on our city's programs are part
and parcel of the benefits we receive from the government", as stated by Sir Allen.

Pursuant to Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code
of 1991, Presidential Decree 705 as amended, otherwise known as the Forestry Reform
Code of the Philippines ; Executive Order No. 192 defining the mandates, organization,
and functions of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), DENR
Administrative Order No. 30, Series of 1992 prescribing the guidelines for the transfer
and implementation of DENR functions; the following Manual of Procedures is hereby
promulgated to effectively implement devolution of forest management functions and
enhance partnership between the LGUs and the DENR.

Subject to the general policies on devolution as contained in RA 7160 and DENR

Administrative Order No. 30, Series of 1992, the following basic policies shall govern the
implementation of DENR-DILG-LGU partnership on devolved and other forest
management functions: 1.1 The Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) shall be the primary government agency responsible for the conservation,
management, protection, proper use and sustainable development of the country’s
environment and natural resources. 1.2 The LGUs shall share with DENR the
responsibility in the sustainable management and development of the forest resources
within their territorial jurisdiction. Toward this end, the DENR and the LGUs shall
endeavor to strengthen their collaboration and partnership in forest management. 1.3
Comprehensive land use and forest land use plans are important tools in the holistic and
efficient management of forest resources. Toward this end, the DENR and the LGUs
together with other government agencies shall undertake forest land use planning as an
integral activity of comprehensive land use planning to determine the optimum and
balanced use of natural resources to support local, regional and national growth and
development. 1.4 To fully prepare the LGUs to undertake their shared responsibilities in
the sustainable management of forest land resources, the DENR, in coordination with
DILG, shall enhance the capacities of the LGUs in the various aspects of forest
management. Initially, the DENR shall coordinate, guide and train the LGUs in the
management of the devolved functions. As the LGUs’ capacity in forest management is
enhanced, the primary tasks in the management of devolved functions shall be performed
by the LGUs and the role of the DENR becomes assistive and coordinative. 1.5 To
further the ends of local autonomy, the DENR in consultation with the LGUs shall
devolved additional functions and responsibilities to the local government units, or enter
into agreements with them for enlarged forest management and other ENR-related
functions. 2 1.6 To seek advocacy, popular support and ultimately help achieve
community empowerment, DENR and DILG shall forge the partnership and cooperation
of the LGUs and other concerned sectors in seeking and strengthening the participation of
local communities for forest management including enforcement of forestry laws, rules
and regulations.
 Pasig is considered as a "Green City" because during the previous administration,
Pasig had several initiatives and the current administration of Mayor Vico is trying to
enhance these initiatives in terms of data management, planning, documentation and data
driven results that are not only qualitative but quantitative as well in order to provide
reliable and comparable results of programs and laws that are being implemented in Pasig
and other local units. We are considered as a green city because Pasig has been bench
marked by other units and is a role model. The importance of being a green city is
identified when the results have shown positive quantitative datas in the decrease in solid
wastes, air, water, and land pollution. We were so called green city because the city of
Pasig took the lead of these initiatives and were awarded by the 'Galing Pook 2010' for
having the best practices in environmental protection. We chose Pasig because we saw
the city's goal for a green environment, as well as its many health care-related activities.
We want to show them that greening the health care is a big step towards a healthy
environment”.

There are many problems that concern Pasig. Some of these are Pasig being a
gateway to many cities which causes different cars to produce black, unhealthy smoke
that leads to pollution and damage to the air quality; a plethora or excessive amounts of
solid waste specifically uncharacterized wastes.

CENRO and other local government units are doing their best efforts to battle
climate change and global warming, as well as the increasing amounts of plastic that clog
up the earth today. Participating in the Climathon brings Pasig's goals to to reducing its
GHG emissions to 10% in 2028 and truly creating a healthy, livable, inclusive, and
sustainable community that is able to balance economic development and environmental
protection. Pasig Green City, a healthy, livable and sustainable ecopolis... A model of
urban development, characterized by a vibrant and globally-competitive economy;
disciplined, empowered and resilient communities; with world-class infrastructure
systems; led by a responsive, transparent and pro active city governance with a heart and
conscience for good governance. Towards celebrating and rediscovering the heart and
soul of our City as a keeper of the vision, the City government’s mission is to achieve a
sustainable connection between and among hardware (the physical, ecological), software
(the structural, economic and social services) and orgware (the political, local
government and private sector coalitions) in order to promote, among others, the general
welfare of all Pasigueños, these are the vision and mission of Pasig City that CENRO
helps contribute to achieving.