Cimatu to LGUs: Enforce environmental laws

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has urged local officials not to balk at enforcing environmental laws, saying governors and mayors should show “decisive environmental leadership.”

“You have control over business permits and land use and development,” Cimatu said, as he warned of adverse environmental impacts if such control is not properly exercised. “LGUs have the autonomy, as well as the duty, to improve environmental conditions in their areas.”

He reminded them of their mandate “to create conditions that can determine whether or not the pursuit of local development can or cannot be environmentally sustainable.”

Cimatu met with 74 governors and 1,538 city and municipal mayors at an assembly in Manila recently.

At the same time, Cimatu assured the governors and mayors of support from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to boost their capabilities in addressing and implementing priority environmental concerns and projects within their respective jurisdictions.

“The DENR can and will provide technical support on a broad range of concerns from geohazard mapping to reforestation, to the management of solid waste and air and water pollution,” Cimatu said, noting that the local sgovernments of Coron and El Nido in Palawan, Panglao Island in Bohol, and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro have acknowledged this support.

He said he is mobilizing the entire DENR workforce from the central, regional, provincial and community levels to assist them “as long as they do their part.”

Cimatu also urged LGUs to help address the country’s vulnerability to climate change hazards through a convergence approach that highlights the key role of local authorities in the transition to more sustainable ways of environmental governance.

The eight provinces identified as most vulnerable to climate change hazards are Masbate, Sorsogon, Negros Oriental, Samar, Sarangani, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands.

Climate change hazards include sea-level rise, drought and other climate-induced disasters like landslides and flooding.

Cimatu heads the Cabinet cluster on climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk reduction, with 24 government agencies as members.