PIA Press Release
Friday, January 06, 2012

DENR-7 creates monitoring team to evaluate greening program

CEBU CITY, January 6 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) in Central Visayas will create a regional validation team to continuously and periodically monitor and evaluate the implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP) by various field offices in the region.

This is a necessary measure to heighten transparency and accountability, according to DENR-7 regional executive director Maximo Dichoso.

This came after DENR Sec. Ramon Paje ordered the notarization of all reports submitted by DENR field offices playing key roles in the implementation of the NGP in an apparent move to remove doubts on the veracity of NGP reports submitted to his office, Dichoso said.

“It may be recalled that Secretary Paje has also sought the help of the Commission on Audit (COA) for the audit of some 1.5 billion tree seedlings that would be produced and planted in 1.5 million hectares under the NGP between 2011 up to 2016,” the director explained.

The NGP in Central Visayas with a budget of P65.988 million has posted an accomplishment of 109.16 percent or 6,148 hectares out of 5,632 hectares of area coverage and planted 3.868 million seedlings or an increase of 37 percent of its target of 2.816 million seedlings, since its regional launch in June last year.

A number of people’s organizations (POs) in Central Visayas benefited on the project for seedlings production and maintenance.

I am forming a validating team to conduct a random validation on the reports submitted by our field offices and requiring them to first appear before a notary public attorney to swear on the correctness of their accomplishment reports before I will forward a notarized regional accomplishment report to DENR Central Office,” Dichoso added.

The intention is also to raise the agency’s competence in providing accurate reports to our people as required by P-Noy and Secretary Paje, he explained, adding that the reports will in turn be submitted to COA for validation.

The team will also be looking into the survival rate of the seedlings planted to ensure maintenance and protection, seed collection and storage, and production of clonal planting materials.

“By ensuring close monitoring and coordination among various stakeholders and articulating clear definition of roles and accountabilities and deliverables, the project will be executed in accordance to its purpose of greening and environmental protection,” he added.

In Central Visayas, 631 planting sites are set to be validated. Of the 631, ten are the biggest sites planted and these are: Cabatuanan, Basay; Sab-ahan and Sto. Niño, Bais City; Tayak, Siaton; and Calango, Zamboanguita, all in Negros Oriental.

Other sites also include in Nangka, Boljoon; Gen. Climaco, Toledo City; and Kambanog, Dumanjug, all in Cebu; and Cantubod, Danao; and Sikatuna, Talibon, all in Bohol. (mbcn/hfg/PIA-7 & DENR-7)