DENR shuffling blamed on “salvage zones” omission?

CULMINATION activities of the Environment Month in Bohol this year is bland despite a beach activity that the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) held Friday, June 30. Reports reaching this paper Friday said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here has also set the day as despedida for the impending staff movement here. While the DENR Regional office authorities would not confirm or deny what caused the movement, an unholy alliance between local environment officials, resort owners businessmen causing omission of official function was perceived to be the root.

The DENR inside source continued that the movement affects Bohol PENRO Arius Ilano and Community ENRO officer Alipio Llorente. With this, Arius Ilano assumes the Regional Technical Director for the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the DENR while Boholano Eduardo Inting assumes the vacated post as Bohol PENRO here. At the CENRO offices, Alipio Llorente would be sent back to DENR Talibon while Cenro Talibon Moreno Tagra gets the Tagbilaran City Cenro seat.

Two weeks ago, this paper reported about a bolched media press conference reportedly called by environment secretary Angelo Reyes in a resort in Panglao. Secretary Reyes was set to deliver the Department's 12-point agenda to a DENR command conference representatives. The press conference was to elucidate unclear points in the presentation. On the same day too, a local newspaper reported the inaction of local environment authorities over the reported flaunting of power by a resort owner in Panglao. The same paper ran an editorial calling for action on the violation affecting a three-story building that was reportedly constructed without the required Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), building permit and local clearances.

That day, local media representatives saw the environment secretary and his party alighting from their cars to the command conference in a resort in Panglao, bringing along the same newspaper. Despite issuing general statements on strict implementation of environmental laws here in Bohol during the gab, Reyes left the gathering for another function, leaving the scheduled press conference. Succeeding information leaked to this paper said Secretary Reyes blew his top as he was not accordingly briefed well on the issue. Last Friday too, PENRO received a copy of a cease and desist order (CDO) to temporarily stop the works in the questioned building. A DENR task force is reportedly asking the court for the Panglao resort CDO. Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has raised concern over her apprehension of Panglao becoming a Boracay. She also called local officials to implement measures to avert destruction of the beaches and disaster in Panglao.

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