The Weekly Vanguard 13th issue 10th issue | Page 4

4 Dec. 19 - 24, 2016 Vanguard Admin change halts greening program ORMOC CITY – This city’s greening program was going smoothly until the new administration hit a snag. The people’s organization selected to implement it has stopped implementing it because of some problems with some of its documents. According to CENRO NGP Coordinator Nilda Peteros in an interview with The Weekly Vanguard at her office Wednesday, last week, the Ormoc program has stopped planting trees in Brgys. Cabingtan, Bagong, Hibunaon, and Domonar. But she said this is not the fault of the administration of Mayor Richard I. Gomez. The change of leadership in the local government has also caused them to change the documents of the people’s organizations (POs) handling in the villages for the program. She said the POs in the previous administration has quit the program. So the project has to be transferred to another POs. She did not explain why the organization suddenly quit. To fast track the said project, there has to be technical assistance from the local government, she said. The NGP in Ormoc has a total project cost of P3,981,300 under the BUB (bottom’s up budgeting) program of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Re- sources (DENR). She said the amount was just part of their overall budget worth P26.023 million. This budget is to plant trees such as Ipil-ipil (fuel wood), bamboo, The Weekly Vanguard needs news writers and correspondents to cover Samar island, Southern Leyte and Tacloban. Please send your resume with picture to [email protected] DENR 8 deputizes envi’l officers in E. Samar BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar (PIA) - The Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesRegional Office 08 (DENRRO-8) Director Leonardo Sibalucca led the oath taking ceremony of the 115 deputized environmental officers of Borongan City and Maydolong on December 13, 2016 at the Provincial Governor’s Conference Hall, Provincial Capitol Building, this city. Sibalucca disclosed that this is the first time in Region 08 that DENR has deputized environmental officers. He emphasized that the said measure pushed through due to the collective effort and cooperation of the German Technical Cooperation or GIZ, the provincial government of Eastern Samar, Borongan City Government, Local Government Unit of Maydolong, and DENR in the implementation of the National REDD+ System Philippine Project in Eastern Samar. He reminded the deputized environmental officers to act based on what the law mandates. “Don’t abuse this power that is entrusted to you in the implementation of timber and fruit trees, covering 1,559 hectares, including 151 hectares under the BUB, in 12 municipalities and Ormoc. She said this program is under a contract project of a PO and is released per accomplishment basis. NGP was a 6-year pet project of former Pres. Noynoy Aquino to plant 1.5 billion seedlings in 1.5 million hectares of public lands nationwide in six years since 2011. CENRO has started it with 692 hectares during that year and it has reached 1,559 this year-end despite typhoon Yolanda which cause same damage three years ago.(By Jun Tarroza) DENR Reg. 8 Director Leonard