DENR official: Creation of new posts will not cause duplication of functions

THERE is no duplication of functions among current offices and officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)—A senior official of the state environment agency clarified.

In a letter to the Businessmirror, DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas R. Leones also said that, as the new chief steward of the environment and natural resources, secretary maria antonia yu lo loyz ag ahas the management prerogative to re align authorities, as well as review and modify the agency’s management structure in order to align it with the current administration’s priority thrusts.

Leones was reacting to the broadsheet’s exclusive report last Friday with the headline: “Loyzaga shuffles key officials, creates new posts.”

The story was culled from a series of special orders from January 11, 23 and 25 that designated key officials to certain positions—some of which are newly created, with specific tasks and functions.

In effect, the reshuffle placed five officials in “floating status.” They were assigned to offices with no specific task or functions.

Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, meanwhile, said the relief of some of the officials’ reassignments were justified, as some have actually been linked to recent controversies, and may actually face graft and corruption charges.

According to the undersecretary, the “multiple functions” of some officials mentioned in the report were merely rationalized to other officials in the Executive Committee “so that these are not concentrated in one office, and to allow faster and more efficient action and delivery of service.”

The official added that the newly appointed officials are highly qualified for their designation, and have the track record in the field of expertise assigned to them. He cited the case of Undersecretary Carlos Primo David who has been part of the scientific community for many years, and has initiated and developed numerous successful projects and programs in the field: “Such expertise to infuse science is aligned with the policies of the department.”

Leones also explained that DENR’S legal matters remain with its Legal Service, which is different from the Legislative Affairs.

“[Our Legal Service handles DENR’S case resolutions], while the Legislative Affairs pertains to the legislative agenda, which is required of all national government agencies,” he explained, as he cited that under Cabinet Resolution 16, series of 1988, all department secretaries are directed to designate their respective department legislative liaison officer to Congress, who shall have at least the rank of assistant secretary.

In a telephone interview, Leones added that while indeed the DENR has the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB)—THE principal research and development unit of the agency—the designation of a scientist in the newly created position of undersecretary for Environmental Science will focus on, as stated in the special order, the supervision of the Geospatial Database Office, and lead discussions in policy formulation, which is different from actual research and development work of the bureau.