DENR Caraga Sportsfest 2016 set on June 20-22

By: Maria Catherine M. Gonzaga

                The DENR Caraga Region will be hosting a Sportsfest in celebration of the Environment Month 2016 on June 20-22, 2016 to be held in different locations in Butuan City.

            The sports activity aims to strengthen the camaraderie of the employees and promote healthy living. The sports included in this event are basketball, volleyball, cheerdance, bowling, lawn tennis, table tennis, badminton, dart, and chess.

            “Let us utilize this time of the year to promote unity and friendly competition. I am encouraging everyone to participate in all the activities lined-up for the Sportsfest. This will surely help us to be active when we get back to our offices to accomplish our targets,” Regional Director Nonito M. Tamayo said.

            The teams who will be competing are as follows: Regional Office (Team Punta Diwata); PENRO Agusan Del Norte (Team Mayapay); PENRO Agusan Del Sur (Team Agusan Marsh); PENRO Surigao Del Norte (Team Cloud 9); PENRO Surigao Del Sur (Team Enchanted River); PENRO Dinagat Islands (Team Lake Bababu); Environmental Management Bureau (Team Balangay); Mines and Geosciences Bureau (Team Red Mountain); and Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (Team Kitanglad).

            The venues set for the events are: Cheer and Dance Competition (Provincial Capitol); Basketball (Luz Village); Lawn Tennis (Doongan Covered Court); Volleyball (Provincial Capitol); Dart (Provincial Capitol); Table Tennis (Provincial Capitol); Bowling (Timberlanes); Badminton (Timberlines); and Chess (Provincial Capitol).

DENR Caraga awards hundreds of Environmental Partners

By: Maria Catherine M. Gonzaga

Butuan City- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Caraga has recognized the contributions of several environmental partners in celebration of the 29^th DENR Anniversary on June 10, 2016 at the DENR Regional Covered Court.

“DENR Anniversary is not only limited to a celebration within the agency. There are lots of people behind our accomplishments. We will honor the efforts of our partners,” DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M. Tamayo said.

About 349 awardees were recognized including two (2) posthumous awards to individuals who contributed much in the advocacy to strengthen forest protection and conservation.

The awardees include farmers, media practitioners, People’s Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, and some political icons.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to all of our partners for continuously supporting our programs and projects especially the National Greening Program and the Anti-illegal Logging Campaign. All these projects are successful because of efforts,” Director Tamayo said.

Among the awardees, two personalities were honoured for their noble contributions in environmental protection and conservation. They are Mayor Dario Otaza and Mr. Tarciano Pendon.

Mayor Otaza has been an effective partner in the National Greening Program and the Anti-illegal Logging Campaign of the DENR. He changed several lives in Loreto, Agusan del Sur. While, Mr. Pendon, a Bantay Danao of the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Agusan del Sur,  protected the biodiversity within the lake using the best of his abilities.

“Life is indeed short, but we can make it worthwhile. Life does not end the day we serve our purpose, it begins there. Again, my sincere thanks to everybody who is with us in our advocacy for the environment,” Director Tamayo said.

PENRO SDS bags crown for Mr. and Ms. Kalikasan 2016

By: Maria Catherine M. Gonzaga

BUTUAN CITY – Employees from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Surigao del Sur won the Search for 2016 Mr. and Ms. Kalikasan during the 29^th DENR Anniversary celebration on June 10, 2016 at the DENR Regional Covered Court.

Kaleb Arreza and Maricris Lamela won the title as they shine in almost all the categories during the event. Among their special awards are Best in Sportswear, Best in Kalikasan Attire, and Best in Formal Attire.

The Search for Mr. and Ms. Kalikasan is an annual event during the celebration of the DENR Anniversary. This event showcases the talents of the employees and paves the way to self improvement.

“Today, we are celebrating our 29^th anniversary with the theme: "Patuloy na pagsisikap para sa kalikasan:  Isang pagdiriwang". As we celebrate today’s event, we renew and strengthen our vows to be protectors of our environment and effective public servants. Let us use this celebration as a motivation to strive harder and be agents of change,” DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M. Tamayo said.

Director Tamayo, in his remark said “The competition is not just about beauty and fame but rather aims to promote social awareness in the role of each individual in the protection and conservation of the environment”.