COLORFUL activities participated in by numerous stakeholders, ordinary citizens and even local government representatives will mark the observance of Earth Day from March 26 to April 22 to be spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
This year’s celebration will focus on water, hence the theme “Tubig ay Buhay - Ating Pagyamanin at Linisin.”
A new feature of the year’s celebration will be the participation of local government units (LGUs) whom DENR Secretary Lito Atienza has been urging to join since last year.
Among DENR’s pre-Earth Day activities is the holding of people’s caravan with Secretary Atienza leading the kick off ceremony at the SM Mall of Asia on March 31.
The caravan will be an 18-day intensive information, education and communication (IEC) campaign that will pass through regions, provinces, cities and municipalities nationwide with the intent of bringing DENR programs and projects to the people. The caravan will last until April 19.
In Bicol, the people’s caravan will start from Matnog, Sorsogon, on April 1 following the arrival of the delegation from Region 8 which will be met by DENR Region 5 officials led by newly designated Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus Fragada.
Fragada said that after welcoming the Region 8 delegation, the caravan will proceed to Sorsogon City for the following activities: Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign, IEC on RA. No. 9147- Wildlife Conservation Protection to be hosted by Governor Sally Lee who will introduce deputized Wildlife Conservation Officers, and signing of memorandum of agreement on PRS92 Adopt-a-Mojon Program.
After lunch, the caravan proceeds to Legazpi City where a forum on Geo-hazard, launching of 1 Million Mangrove (DENR and LGU Albay), Memorandum of Agreement signing (LGU Albay-DENR-PNOC), mangrove planting in Albay and coastal clean-up will be held.
On April 2 (Day two), the caravan travels to Pili in Camarines Sur where the following will be held at the Provincial Capitol Compound: Brief Presentation of the Bicol River Basin and Watershed Management Project (BRBBWMP) and MOA signing on the Libmanan-Pulantuna Watershed Management Council (WMC) to be hosted by Gov. Luis Raymond Villafuerte.
The caravan will pass along major thoroughfares in Naga City from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. of the same day, and then travel to Daet, Camarines Norte.
At 3:00 p.m., MOA signing on Watershed Management Council and Bike for the Environment will be held at the Provincial Capitol Ground in Daet.
On the last day (April 3) of the Bicol leg of the people’s caravan , the itinerary includes Travel to Lucena (5:00-7:30 a.m.), converge with DENR Region 4-A at Calauag, Quezon (7:30-10:00 a.m.), Whistlestop at SM Lucena for the turn-over of land documents from DENR Region 4-A to DENR 5 (10:00-10:30 A.M.) and travel to the National Capital Region with whistlestop at SM Mall of Asia.
Fragada said other people’s caravan’s activities include Handog Titulo, People’s Day, motorcade and roadside tree planting (with Motortrade as partner) media interaction, signing of “Pangako sa Inang Kalikasan”, and information campaign against illegal logging in Catanduanes.
The people’s caravan delegation from the different regions will converge at San Fernando, Pampanga, the following day (April 4).
Specific activities for the Earth Day celebration on April 22 in the Bicol region will be announced later, Fragada said.
The first Earth Day was held in 1970 marking a milestone in history where environmentalism took center stage and was translated into concrete action as a chance for people around the world to celebrate the planet and our responsibility toward it.
Locally, Earth Day celebration started in 1990 after then President Corazon C. Aquino issued Proclamation No 553 on April 16, 1990, mandating April 22 of every year as Earth Day in the Philippines. (ASA)
