I wish I could take credit for the title of this post but, it was actually wildlifemayie’s reaction when I told her yesterday who the new Department of Environment and Natural Resources chief was.
In case you don’t read the papers, its in all the headlines. The new DENR head is former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.
Former Mayor Atienza is most known for his urban development projects – sidewalk paving and road repair, fancy street lights and Baywalk – the man is an architect by trade. I covered the last year of his term as Manila Mayor and in fairness, he is not the devil incarnate.
But – from what I have personally seen and heard – I feel quite justified in squawking in outrage that the man knows nothing about the environment.
For heavens sake, he destroyed the Mehan Gardens and built a school building in Arroceros Forest Park.
I actually covered the opening of the Department of City Schools building in Arroceros Park. He renamed the park “People’s Park,” stated that the building did not take up the entire forest park and that the park was open for all the people of Manila to enjoy a slice of nature.
Then he said that he had plans to approve it. That there were no birds in the forest park because – and he claimed that he had experts to back this up – the trees in the park were not the sort that birds lived in. The experts he mentioned were never identified and as far as I know, other experts from Haribon and the Wild Bird Club have stated that there are at least ten bird species that made the park its home.
Of course that was before trees were cut down and construction began on the building.
The caretakers of Arroceros is the Winner Foundation, they fought long and hard to prevent any construction in the park. For their trouble they were banned from the park.
Not only that but – when the park was re-opened to the public – they were still not allowed. Apparently the guards on the gate were under orders to not let them in.
Then when Milenyo hit and trees were brought down by its winds, the Winner Foundation asked permission to go in to the park to clean up. Atienza initially agreed, then he withdrew his permission for unspecified reasons.
Seriously, where was the harm in letting people who were volunteering to clean up in the park? Manila was pretty wreaked by the storm and the City Engineering Office was already stretched thin cleaning the roads and damage to the cities infrastructure. You would think they would welcome help. The only reason I can think of that help might be refused would be. . . pettiness.
The man is not the devil incarnate. I actually think he would make a good cabinet secretary – if he was given an appropriate position – such as say with the Department of Public Works and Highways.
He is an architect by training and. . . urban development is something he has a relatively good track record on. Why wasn’t he given the DPWH instead?
In the end, his lack of understanding and. . . pettiness over the Arroceros Park issue does not fill me with hope that the man will be a great caretaker of our natural resources.
Anyway here are links to the Inquirer articles on the subject:
Lito Atienza new environment head
Environmentalists shocked over Atienzas appointment to DENR
From the environmental point of view, the Inquirer is doing the best job of covering this issue. They actually mention the reasons why Atienza is not qualified for the position. Most of the other papers focus on whether or not Department of Energy Secretary Lotilla was fired or not.
Before the day’s over, another inquirer.net posting:
Green group scoffs at Atienza’s appointment as DENR chief
By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Southern Luzon Bureau
Last updated 05:34pm (Mla time) 07/19/2007
LUCENA CITY, Philippines — An official of an environmentalist group has scoffed at President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s appointment of former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza as the next head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=77626
Oh my Katryce,
How can the new DENR chief be made aware that the flowers on his shirts will not attract butterflies?
Why o why is our President not appointing the qualified people to the DENR post? MIKE DEFENSOR (housing), ANGIE REYES (Military), ATIENZA (FLORAL SHIRT APPAREL, the closest he can get to nature).
According to a department head in PAWB, the USEC and the advisers will be replaced, definitely. The knowledgeable people in DENR are the the Regional Directors (well some of them) but environment leadership is not taken from their ranks. Why o why?
The leadership of our Environment Bureau, is like a live grenade being tossed from one hand to another.
Scary.
Lyd
Acid rain go away!
I don’t like his staff either! I was about to write letter asking support frm the city of Manila on the Sagip Estero Project in our school. Hoping the project be interesting somehow on their part.
I tried to convince her to support us. It was no use since from the tone of her voice she is not pro environment. she is was telling me that the former mayor supports the environment but she could not cite one so i didnt believe her.
Now from the Ecorescue website, i saw it true, the mayor isnt really a pro environmentalist.
We have voices that the President needs to hear. We can’t let our environment put on risk because of self vested interest freaks! He owe the public our life, the philippine nature!
if you notice cabinet posts were re-arranged to accomodate the presidents men who lost the elections…
i feel ur angst kat
Speaking of merry-go-round, I got this in my inbox today:
Environmental Lawyers and Citizens Question DENR Secretary Revolving-Door Appointments
5 Secretaries in 6 Years is Symptomatic of GMA’s Low Environmental Priority
Environmental Lawyers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) questioned today the revolving-door policy of President Gloria Arroyo in appointing DENR Secretaries. They pointed out that in a matter of her six years in office, Mrs. Arroyo has already appointed five DENR Secretaries – Mr. H. Alvarez, Ms. E. Gozun, Messrs. M. Defensor and A. Reyes, and now Mr.J. Atienza.
Antonio Oposa Jr., an internationally-known environmental lawyer and Chairman of the IBP-National Environmental Action Team (IBP-NEAT), chided the Arroyo Administration for its cavalier treatment of the Office of DENR Secretary. “We do not question the qualification of Mr. Atienza to head the DENR; that will be treated in the confirmation proceedings. We do not question the discretion of the appointing power to appoint whoever she wants. However, we take issue that changing Secretaries almost every year is a grave abuse of that discretion. Some say that the DENR is being used to pay political favors. For us that issue is irrelevant,” Oposa said.
“What is at issue here is that having five Secretaries in six years for such an important Department as the DENR is bad environmental governance. It is bad because it results in discontinuity of policy and programs,” Oposa pointed out. “Lest we forget, Madame President, protecting the Environment is nothing less than protecting the very sources of Life — of life-giving land, of air, and of the waters. Lest we forget, Madame President, these environmental resources are the very base of all economic activity; in fact, of all human activity for that matter. It is not good policy to play Russian roulette with the elements of life of our country. This is seen as symptomatic of the very low priority given to the Environment by your Administration,” Oposa said.
Tony Oposa is a UP and Harvard-trained lawyer and is the author of internationally-acclaimed books on Environmental Law and Policy. He received the prestigious TOYM of the Philippines and the United Nations Award for his landmark works in the field of environmental enforcement. While little known in the Philippines, Oposa is well known around the world and is considered one of Asia’s leading voices in the international arena of Environmental Law and Policy.
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Reyes was just beginning to warm his seat, learn the ropes, and build bridges of credibility. And then he is gone. It is even more unfortunate that this same thing happened to the three Secretaries
before him – Alvarez, Gozun and Defensor. And now we have a fifth,” Oposa added.
The lawyer was joined by other environmental lawyers and ordinary citizens who expressed their objection to this careless process of appointing DENR Secretaries. Oposa revealed that other sectors from around the country have
called him up to also express their objection. In fact, he intimated, some people are now organizing a signature campaign to express their sentiments over the unstable leadership of the DENR.
“Personalities are nothing but passing fancies of the moment, they come and go,” Oposa and his Team said. “But our environmental resources – the land, air and water resources upon which our lives depend – are far too important for any government official to play with. Appointing short-term ‘casuals’ to the position of DENR Secretary is simply unsound environmental policy,”
they said.
Contact Persons:
19 July 2007
Atty. Karen Baydo, IBP-National Environmental Action Team
IBP National Office, Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Atty. Jose Agcaoili, Philippine Bar Association, Committee on the Environment
Mr. Bonar Laureto, The Law of Nature Foundation
6-J Westgate Tower, Investment Drive, Alabang, Muntinlupa City Telefax No. 809-6122
What makes this new DENR appointment issue get into my nerves is that apart from Pres. GMA’s blatant payment of another of her political favors, she failed (again for the nth time) to appoint at least someone who was truly qualified for an important cabinet position. Can’t she regard the Philippine environment as a priority matter for once in her administration?