GROUP 7:

SENATE BUDGET HEARING FOR DENR FOR 2021 FISCAL YEAR

The purpose of the Senate budget hearing for DENR for 2021 fiscal year was to
discuss the proposed 2021 budget of DENR and its attached agency. The total
proposed 2021 new appropriations for DENR amounts to 25 553 356 000 which is
0.23% increase from the previous year budget and this amount covers the budget
allocations for the following offices; the office of DENR secretaries including the four
bureaus under it namely; Biodiversity Management Bureau, Land Management Bureau,
Forest Management Bureau and Ecosystem Research and development Bureau. The
budget also covers the DENR field offices in regions, provinces and certain cities and
municipalities. The goal of the said proposed budget will be efficiently utilized towards
the conservation management, development and proper use of the countries
environment and natural resources which constitute the primary responsibility of the
DENR. The DENR recognized that the pandemic is closely related to its responsibilities
and the existence of this issues cannot be left unaddressed. For this year budget,
DENR aims to implement enhanced national greening program to regain forest cover, to
enhance forest protection, biodiversity costal and marine resources conservation, land
and water resources management, livelihood provision to upland and coastal
communities’ rehabilitation of natural resources.
In line to DENR’s mission, their responsibility towards conservation and
sustainability of the country’s environment are accomplished by programs and policies.
From year 2020, environmental projects were a hot topic such as the rehabilitation of
Boracay and Manila Bay due to the current pandemic situation. To further enhance and
intensify the projects being held by the DENR, they prepared their budget allocation to
attain their goals. They established ten programs to intensify and continue the
environmental progress. Starting from Manila Bay and other tourist destination
rehabilitation, clean water, solid waste management, clean air, enhanced national
greening project, intensified forest protection and anti-illegal logging, enhanced
biodiversity conservation, coastal and marine ecosystem management, geohazard,
groundwater assessments and responsible mining and lastly, improve land
administration and management. For a total of 25.5 billion pesos, in order of priority this
was allocated in maintenance and other operating expenses, personal services and
capital outlay. These programs are subject to utilize natural resources for the benefit of
the citizens of the Philippines. Promulgating and implementing programs are precisely
vital in budgeting to support and promote effective allocation to these programs.
As stated by the DENR goals, mandates, vision and mission when it comes to
the various environmental and natural resources issues with solutions to be made, their
plans together with the programs are definitely appropriate and must be focus on. The
purpose of the process of budget legislation in the part of the DENR, was for them to
elaborate and explain further on how they will utilize and use properly the budget
according to their projects and plans as it is very important for people to know where the
citizen money went. Also, during this pandemic situation, everyone needs to have a
safe environment against hazardous and infectious waste. The accomplishments done
in Boracay and Manila Bay was truly evident that is why the DENR push through their
eagerness to strengthen and widening their hands to clean and solve those
environmental issues. Apart from that, the budget proposal was process to enlighten the
congress or the senate on where and how the money will be used and if it is the right
amount to be approve before the budget or fund will be released. Also, for the DENR to
know what areas should they focus and what environmental issues must they improve
and develop. Apparently, we could see the little progress of these programs in different
areas and places. It is evident that even though DENR do their job, it is not enough to
prove that they are successful in cleaning, conserving, preserving and protecting the
environment and natural resources. This part of the process was to convince and
address the needs of the environment as to the situation we have right now. DENR Roy
Cimatu lay down their plans and actions which seen to be far enough and needs more
improvement but it shows that they wanted to restore and fix the true beauty of nature.
The DENR has its relevance that is needed at this moment of time to reduce the nature
calamity and provide protection for the ecosystem and humans.
In the hearing, senators share their concerns and suggestion in the budget
proposal for this year 2021, they ask for clarifications for certain topic or project that it
will be possible to achieve. The arrangement of who will ask first will be based on the
time of arrival of the senator. The first one who has the right to ask question was
Senator Imee Marcos but Senator Franklin Drilon requested to go first. The question
that came out from Senator Drilon was “How does the other places or cities look like if
were tried to clean the water ways or the river if there’s a coordination with other
organization such as the National Housing Authority?”, and “What plans or programs
you provide on the issue of those informal settlers, commercial establishments and
distributaries affected by the program?”, the DENR Secretary Cimatu says that they are
continuing to assist the National Housing Authority in the transfer or reallocation of
those informal settlers or about 45,000 families staying in the water ways. They are also
divided the 15 agencies in respected areas to facilitate or monitor those affected
families by the program. The next senator who asks for some clarification in the past
and present program was Senator Imee Marcos, she asked “What is the overall
accomplishments of the national greening program?” The director answer this by
sharing the accomplished of the program, she says that the program accomplished
about 2 million hectares and planted about 1.7 billion trees and also, she shares that the
DENR Secretary directed them to plant bamboo trees because it is easy to propagates.
Senator Imee Marcos also asked the environmental management bureau because for
her there has been so many violations in solid waste however the LGUs cried time to
time again. According to DENR Secretary, they chosen the Ilocos Norte as the model of
cluster sanitary landfill on each municipality and also the director of this project says
that they will be coming up with mechanize transfer station to avoid wrong or unproper
disposal of waste. Lastly, Senator Marcos also asking why it is only 50 million budgets
for tourism knowing there’s a lot of project listed on that area. The assistant secretary
says that 25 million is prioritize to tourist destination intended for the preparation or
finalization of master plan and the other budgets are for the enforcement for clean water
act and easement, and for the development of eco-tourism. The succeeding senator to
ask questions and clarification was Senator Nancy Binay, she asked “In last year the
program is name National Greening Program but right now it is named Enhance
National Greening Program. What is the different aside from the plantation of bamboo?”
The secretary answers it by the change of people organization approach to families
approach. They manage to track down one of their problem and that is the management
problem. People organization that is contracted to plant and supervised the trees
planted was lacking in their responsibility. So the DENR started to change their
approach to families’ approach where they should plant trees not exceeding 5 km of
their target area so that it is much easier to monitor and supervised.
The use of latest technology like drones and satellites to monitor the trees
planted is also one of the concerns of the senator. According to DENR secretary, they
are already using these technologies for monitoring and supervising. Senator also
asked “In the cases of illegal logging. What is the update and what is the policy on the
cutting of the trees?”. Many are convicted and the vehicle that are used to transport
illegal cut down trees are confiscated. Natural Forest is prohibited to cut. Planted trees
by farmers and partner in private plantation are allowed as long as planted. There are
specific trees that cannot be cut and animals that cannot be killed and subjected for
protection. The senator asks again “During the lockdown, plantita and plantito arise.
Also the poacher arises. What act did you do regarding this matter?’’ They always
remind the public about the Wildlife Act where they should be aware that they cannot
gather all plants especially the endangered plant. The last question that the senator
asks was “How do we manage the medical waste produced by COVID?” the secretary
answers it that our existing facilities are capable of disposing the volume of medical
waste that was produced during COVID. The capacity of the facilities can handle to the
medical waste is far more above. The next Senator to ask questions was Senator Riza
Hontiveros, her first question was “In your manual, it is stated there that you should give
copy of the project to the stakeholders? Is it followed? What are the documents
needed? And how fast can you get a copy?” It is already being followed. You can get a
copy immediately through online. The next question was “In regards with the
consultation, in the process of ECC. There must be a public hearing. Is it being
followed?” Yes we are complying with it the secretary answered. The next question was
“How much is the budget you request from DBM? And what is the effect of the budget
cut to your operations? Is the DENR ready for the possible outcome of the budget cut?”
The secretary answer was 8 billion was the requested budget but the approved
was almost ¼ only. Some of their activities, equipment and supplies will be reduced.
They will become more adaptive to the situation they came encounter. The last
questions of Senator Hontiveros were “How many issue of fish pond lease agreement
and the status of this was agreement? Because there are reports from the ground that
there are number of abandon fish pond that can be used for plantation of mangroves so
as much as possible it needs an action.” The secretary answers to this question were it
will depends on the regional director of that area. The last Senator to ask questions was
Senator Francis Tolentino. He started his question to this “How can the DENR sustain
the reduction of the pollution that happen when there is a lockdown? Is there a specific
program to sustain?” The DENR help in the field to remind the public in regards to the
COVID. Also, the places where there is high gas pollution is also the places where high
number of COVID cases appear because there is a correlation of gas pollution and
COVID. The COVID mix up with the gas pollution that is mostly created by vehicles.
There was also a suggestion of Senator Tolentino and that was about the Enhanced
National Greening Program. The DENR should push the plantation of Cocoa and Coffee
because the supply of it was badly needed.
To sum up everything that has been stated so far, the discussion of the senator
or this hearing aim to ensure that the proposed budget of DENR budget for 2021 will be
efficiently utilized towards the conservation, management, development and proper use
of the country’s environment and national resources which constitute the primarily
responsibility of the DENR. The total proposed 2021 new appropriation amounting to
Php 25,553, 356, 000 which covers the budget allocation of the Office of DENR
including the Force Staff Bureau such as Biodiversity Management Bureau, Land
Management Bureau, Forest Management Bureau and Ecosystem Research and
development Bureau. The budget also covers the DENR field offices in regions,
provinces and certain cities and municipalities. However, this 2021 budget does not
include the GOCC’s of DENR namely; Laguna Lake Development Authority, Philippine
Mining Development Corporation, Natural Resources Development Corporation. The
DENR aims to regain forest cover, enhancing forest protection, biodiversity, costal and
marine resources. They are pursuing program of actions, strategies and policies in
order to sustainably manage the biodiversity and their habitats, accelerate climate
action, level up adopted capacities of communities. The DENR believes that the
effective responses and recovery plans need to take into account of pandemic multiple
dimensions as well as its deep roots in environment instances. The hearing highlights
the budget proposals, publishments and targets of 10 programs namely; Manila Bay
and Other tourist Destination Rehabilitation, Clean Water, Solid Waste Management,
Clean Air, Enhanced National Greening Program, Intensified Forest protection and Anti-
Illegal Logging, Enhanced Biodiversity Conservation, Coastal and Marine Ecosystems,
Geohazard Ground Water Assessment and Improve land administration and
Management. The DENR take this challenge and consider this as a critical situation to
promote transformative change towards strong stewardship of our environment with the
support of the Senate and Government, the department shall achieve the common goal
for environmental sustainability.