DENR head in Cebu today for environment lectures

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina "Gina" Lopez will lead today the launch of the Visayas-wide leg of lectures that aim to boost sustainable area management in the country.

The DENR will be holding a series of lectures throughout the country, the first was held in Davao City, to promote a Bhutan-developed model of economic development and metric of national progress dubbed as "Gross National Happiness."

In a statement, Lopez said she wants the country to follow Bhutan's model of measuring GNHs since it gives equal importance to non-economic aspects of well-being in quantifying social and national progress, apart from the usual Gross Domestic Product.

DENR is planning to use an integrated development and management approach to address poverty and deliver social justice to marginalized communities across the country.

Lopez said the lectures and workshops will serve as input to area development planning to be implemented in six identified priority areas.

These areas are in regions 6 (Western Visayas); 7 (Central Visayas); and 8 (Eastern Visayas) or within the Visayas cluster to include provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Antique, Guimaras, Samar, and Iloilo City.

The environment summit for the Mindanao-leg was hosted by Davao City, held at the Ateneo de Davao University last August 2016.

In the Visayas, the series of lectures will start today at the University of San Carlos campus in Talamban, Cebu City and will feature Dr. Saamdu Chetri, the executive director of GNH Centre of Bhutan.

Chetri is also set to conduct a special lecture for members of the media at the DENR central office in Quezon City on October 21.

Other lectures for Luzon will be held in Quezon City at the Ateneo de Manila University on October 22 and at the University of the Philippines-Diliman on October 24.

Coined by Bhutan's fourth king, his Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, GNH is based on the four pillars of good governance, sustainable socio-economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation.

The concept of GNH has been introduced to the United Nations and brought about the celebration of the International Day of Happiness on March 20 of every year, as per a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly.

May B. Miasco/ATO

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