DATE: ____JULY _26________, 2020 DAY: _____SUNDAY________ DENR IN THE NEWS Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service STRATEGIC BANNER COMMUNICATION UPPER PAGE 1 EDITORIAL CARTOON STORY STORY INITIATIVES PAGE LOWER SERVICE July 26, 2020 PAGE 1/ DATE TITLE : Cimatu vows to consistently pursue climate action 1/2 Cimatu vows to consistently pursue climate action ByEireene Jairee Gomez July 25, 2020 ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu has vowed to consistently pursue aggressive climate action and prioritize investments that will increase the country’s resiliency and adaptive capacity to both climate change and the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. During the virtual Pre-SONA (State of the Nation Address) Forum on Security, Justice and Peace and Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, and Disaster Risk Reduction Clusters, Cimatu stressed the need for the Philippines to limit carbon emissions to keep global temperature rise. Climate emergency, he noted, remains as urgent as ever. “It is like the Covid-19 emergency, just in slow motion and much graver.” “The Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCAM-DRR) reduction has been moving in a direction where our actions today will prepare us for the current healthy emergency, future pandemic and the lobing climate crisis,” Cimatu said. “The Cabinet shall prioritize actions and investments that will reduce the long term health impacts from and increase our resiliency and adaptive capacity to both coronavirus pandemic and climate change,” he added. Under Executive Order 24, Series of 2017, the CCAM-DRR shall focus on the conservation and protection of the environment and natural resources, and shall serve as a venue for building synergy among cluster member-agencies in discussing inter-related concerns on climate change and DRR. It shall also take the lead in the effective coordination, harmonization and complementation of policies and programs on climate risk management, DRR and sustainable development. This cluster is chaired by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and co- chaired by the Department of National Defense. The Climate Change Commission (CCC) acts as the secretariat of the Cabinet Cluster. The country’s environmental laws such as the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001” (Republic Act [RA] 9147), “Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018” (RA 11038), and the “Climate Change Act of 2009” (RA 9729) are regarded as landmark legislations by the international community. The implementation of these laws, according to the CCC, will contribute significantly to the envisioned green and resilient post- Covid-19 recovery. To reduce the “dramatic” impacts of Covid-19, Cimatu said effective health care waste management shall be implemented to overcome the huge volume of infectious and hazardous waste in hospitals. Moreover, he said that treatments, storage and disposal facilities in the country shall be increased. The Environment chief also pointed out that the government shall intensify, enhance surveillance and enforcement activities in degredation hotspots and critical ecosystems in an effort to prevent zoonotic diseases due to biodiversity loss. Research and development utilizing natural resources for disease prevention and cure shall also be undertaken, according to Cimatu. Reforestation and watershed management, forest protection and agro-forestry development, especially in critically watersheds, shall be strengthened, he added. STRATEGIC BANNER COMMUNICATION UPPER PAGE 1 EDITORIAL CARTOON STORY STORY INITIATIVES PAGE LOWER SERVICE July 26, 2020 PAGE 1/ DATE TITLE : Cimatu vows to consistently pursue climate action 2/2 Research and development utilizing natural resources for disease prevention and cure shall also be undertaken, according to Cimatu. Reforestation and watershed management, forest protection and agro-forestry development, especially in critically watersheds, shall be strengthened, he added. “We are at the point where humanity is given an enforced chance to stop and think to choose how we rebuild. We shall come out of this in such a way that we can collectively deal with climate change and disasters. We shall convert this health crisis into opprotunities to accelerate climate action,” Cimatu said. “We shall formulate responses to the pandemic through a climate lens [and] seize this key moment for climate response and action in the aggressive build up of adapative and resilient communities,” he added. Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/07/25/business/green-business/cimatu-vows-to-consistently- pursue-climate-action/745593/ STRATEGIC BANNER COMMUNICATION UPPER PAGE 1 EDITORIAL CARTOON STORY STORY INITIATIVES PAGE LOWER SERVICE July 26, 2020 PAGE 1/ DATE TITLE : PH Mining industry raises P402-M fund to help 1.4-M households, frontliners Published July 25, 2020, 5:12 PM by Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz The Philippine mining industry has so far raised ₱402-million worth of relief fund to help 1.4 million households and frontliners during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Motorists queue up to avail the free COVI19 Drive-Thru Testing Center set by the City of Manila with the initiative of Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso at Quirino Grandstand on Saturday, July 18, 2020. (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Mining companies were able to raise a total of ₱402 million after Acting Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Director Wilfredo Moncano had authorized them to realign their unutilized Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) funds to help the national government in its fight against COVID-19. MGB is a line bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that oversees and regulates the mining sector. It reported that as of July 8, some 1.2 million households have been provided with food packs, vegetables and garden kits through the relief fund. This has exceeded the initial target of around 1.184 million beneficiaries, the MGB said. On top of this, the agency noted that close to 210,000 frontliners have been provided with personal protective equipment and medical supplies. “The SDMP fund has components that can be sacrificed and realigned to respond and assist the clamor of the government and the community for assistance,” Moncano said, adding that 90 percent of the pooled SDMP funds have been utilized so far. As stated under the DENR Administrative Order No. 2010-21 or the Consolidated Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 7942, otherwise known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, mining companies are required to allocate at least one percent of their annual operation cost to their SDMP to assist host and neighboring communities and in developing mining technology and geosciences. The mining companies also provided logistical support, such as service ambulance, trucks and boats to affected communities within their jurisdiction. Moncano said the initiative, which has already benefited millions of individuals, was a result of “common agenda and objectives.” “I am glad that through the collaboration of MGB and the mining companies, we were able to give assistance to our local government units and communities hosting mining operations,” he added. Source: https://mb.com.ph/2020/07/25/ph-mining-industry-raises-p402-m-fund-to-help-1-4-m-households- frontliners/ STRATEGIC BANNER COMMUNICATION UPPER PAGE 1 EDITORIAL CARTOON STORY STORY INITIATIVES PAGE LOWER SERVICE July 26, 2020 PAGE 1/ DATE TITLE : PH mining industry magbibigay ng P402M para sa COVID-19 response July 25, 2020 @ 4:40 PM 14 hours ago Manila, Philippines – Nag-ambag ang Philippine mining industry ng kanilang bahagi bilang tulong sa panahon ng pandemic ng halagang P402 milyon relief fund na makatutulong sa may 1.4 milyong kabahayan at frontliners sa buong bansa. Ayon sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ang mga mining firm ay padadaluyin ang kanilang nalalabing pondo para sa kanya-kanyang Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) para tulungan ang kanilang nasasakupan at mga katabing mga komunidad sa panahon ng community quarantine bunsod ng COVID-19. Ang Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) na kabilang sa bureau ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ang mangangalaga at magre-regulate ng mining sector at iniulat na nitong nakalipas na July 8, aabot sa 1.2 milyon households ang nabigyan ng food packs, vegetables at garden kits mula sa relief fund. Ang ayuda at tulong ay lumagpas pa sa inisyal na target na 1.184 milyon beneficiaries ng mahigit 16,000 ayon sa MGB. Kaugnay nito ayon sa MGB, aabot sa 210,000 frontliners ay nabigyan ng mga personal protective equipment and medical supplies. Nabatid pa sa DENR, ang mining companies ay nakapag-raise ng aabot sa P402 milyon matapos awtorisahan ni Acting MGB Director Wilfredo Moncano at i-realign ang kanilang utilized SDMP funds para tulungan ang national government sa paglaban sa COVID-19. “The SDMP fund has components that can be sacrificed and realigned to respond and assist the clamor of the government and the community for assistance,” ayon kay Moncano at idinagdag ang 90 percent na nalalabing SDMP funds ay nagamit. Ayon sa DENR Administrative Order No. 2010-21 o ang Consolidated Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 7942 na mas kilala sa Philippine Mining Act of 1995, ang mining companies ay nire-required na mag-allocate ng hanggang isang porsyento ng kanilang annual operation cost para sa SDMP para tumulong sa kanilang kalapit na komunidad