CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-10 Director Henry A. Adornado shared during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on July 12 that they have strengthened protection and monitoring of vast areas by adopting modern initiatives such as artificial intelligence.
He made this statement as DENR continues to enforce and carry out its mandates in protecting, conserving, managing, and developing the country’s environment and natural resources.
“In order to strengthen protection and monitoring of vast areas under this administration, we have established the national environment and natural resources geospatial database through DENR Administrative Order No. 2023-01, which aims to promote the utilization of satellite remote sensing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and geographic information systems (GIS) for policy, planning, and decision-making,” he said.
In addition to this, Adornado said they currently have nine legislated protected areas established in different provinces around the region.
“It is with great pride that we have a total of four ASEAN Heritage Parks,” Adornado shared. These heritage parks are the Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park in Bukidnon, Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park in Misamis Occidental, Mts. Timpoong-Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument in Camiguin, and the latest addition, the Mt. Inayawan Range Natural Park in Lanao del Norte, launched in June 2023.
The DENR-10 director went on to say that these are proof of Northern Mindanao’s exceptional wilderness and biodiversity values, which are in place to foster greater understanding, appreciation, enjoyment, and conservation of the protected areas (PAs).
Protected areas are essential for conservation, environmental health, and community well-being, and the director said they offer profound and valuable benefits to communities that encompass social, economic, and cultural benefits.
Moreover, protected areas play a critical role in biodiversity conservation, ensuring ecosystem services, supporting socio-economic development, and contributing to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
DENR-10 has also employed digitalization in its processes. In 2023, they launched the online gratuitous permit application to promote technologies and expedite processes. This innovation is in addition to the existing online wildlife local transport permit and free patent application tracking system.
Jing Macaibay, a lumber trading business owner from Cagayan de Oro City, shared that she has been availing of the chainsaw registration services of DENR for ages.
Macaibay’s lumber trading business has existed since the 1990s, and she says the processing of permits has improved in several ways, especially now that the service is already available online.
Feedback is also quick, as she receives calls if there are remarks on the application or if she is lacking in her documents.
For program beneficiaries, DENR-10 keeps coming up with similar initiatives. They are also pushing for a stronger partnership with local governments, people’s organizations, the private sector, and other government agencies in the protection and management of the country’s forests and forest lands.
“It is remarkable that the DENR-10 was able to achieve significant and sustainable outcomes in environmental protection and conservation through the various notable support from our stakeholders. With this success, we continue to be determined and optimistic about creating innovative solutions through good governance and collaboration with our stakeholders and the local communities,” Adornado said. (IJBD/PIA-10)
