CEBU CITY, June 4 (PIA) -- Top officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) urged the public to take care of the environment in order to mitigate the impact of climate change as the country celebrates June as Environment Month.
DENR-7 regional director Dr. Isabelo Montejo during the forum of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) said it is imperative that the environment be preserved to ease the effects if not prevent the occurrence of disasters.
Montejo cited the illegal cutting of trees which further expose the risks to landslides and flashfloods in the environment.
“We are now intensifying the detailed geohazard mapping of 1:10,000 to serve as guide to local government units which are the areas in their localities that are vulnerable to landslides, flashfloods and flooding,” said Montejo.
Al Emil Berador, chief geologist of DENR-7 in the same forum said “LGUs should revisit the geohazard maps as a proactive stand before the onset of the rainy season.”
Berador said all the LGUs have already been furnished with the 1:50,000 geohazard maps to around 60,000 barangays in Central Visayas.
But the DENR is now coming up with a very detailed geohazard map that is 1:10,000 scale to really pinpoint even the smallest area in the barangay that is susceptible to disaster, said Berador.
The DENR stated it hopes to finish the conduct of the detailed geohazard mapping nationwide by the end of the year.
The DENR-7 meanwhile, also presented its other programs and activities such as the National Greening Program (NGP) which includes the importance of mangrove panting and beach forest rehabilitation as well as RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
Under the NGP, Montejo said the program aims to plant 1.5 billion trees in at least 1.5 million hectares throughout the country.
In celebration of June as Environment Month, the DENR has underlined several activities punctuating its advocacy on environmental protection and preservation. (mbcn/FCR/PIA7 with reports from Kristal Eduyan, intern)