Loyzaga

New DENR chief calls for ‘ethical stewardship’

July 21, 2022 Cory Martinez 402 views

NEWLY-installed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga enjoined all the agency’s officials and employees to support the missions she wanted to achieve during her term.

Yulo-Loyzaga made the appeal during the turnover ceremonies at the DENR main office in Quezon City, wherein she emphasized the importance of the involvement of not only the DENR officials and employees in the pursuit of a safe and cleaner environment but also the participation of all stakeholders as well.

In her speech, Yulo-Loyzaga presented the missions she wanted to achieve, which include ethical stewardship to serve with excellence and virtue and uphold shared environmental values and scientific and technical excellence.

“We want a stewardship that is democratic where stakeholders can participate and where there is transparency in the department’s plan and decisions,” she stressed.

Aside from this mission, the new DENR secretary also disclosed that her administration will invest in a scientific-risks-based approach to fight the effects of climate change and a multi-hazard environment.

“We want some quantified impact metrics, and hopefully, with the department’s projects and performance, we can set an example for the economic, social, and environmental gains that are part of the mandate of the DENR,” Yulo-Loyzaga added.

She further urged officials and employees to strive for efficiency in their work, especially in government transactions, the efficient use of their resources, and the digitization and modernization of their information management system.

“These will enhance the delivery of our service to our stakeholders and ensure the level of excellence in terms of performance and the impacts that we would like to achieve. I hope you can be part of our shared vision,” Yulo-Loyzaga said.

She also disclosed that the department will work with the cities as they are the engine of growth but depend largely on the ecosystem that supports them.

“…And the role of the DENR cannot be minimized in terms of scientists’ support, the economy of our country, at the same time, the social and inclusive development of our nation,” she explained.

“With your kind cooperation and collaboration, we need to combat the climate emergency, to practical climate change adaptation measures, the use of science, to approach national scale as well as local scale impacts of climate change,” Yulo-Loyzaga added.

She noted that people live in a multi-hazard environment not just from natural hazards but from industrial and natural-technological hazards.

“The compounding of these hazards has led to the development of systematic risks and threats to our entire economic and social system. We need to strive to continuously protect our indigenous species as part of our natural heritage and, at the same time, harness seas’ resources for the benefit of our country. I wish to enjoin all of you to please join us in this new course and mission,” she ended.

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