Cenro-CamSur gears up for more projects

By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY -- The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) has revealed activities for the last quarter to promote the National Greening Program.

Cenro Chief Pio T. Bernal said three People’s Organization (PO) are scheduled to reforest 300 hectares of open and denuded lands inside Mount Isarog National Park, a haven for a wide range of endemic animals and species, before the month ends.

Representatives from civil society organizations, national government agencies and from the academe also pledged to plant another 100 hectares here.

Bernal also said that in line with its campaign to preserve and conserve protected areas like Mount Isarog, the office will push for the declaration of the said sanctuary as Man and Biosphere Site through the United Nations Development Programme.

The delineation of the actual boundaries of Mount Isarog Natural Park is also being pushed to further protect its existing resources from man’s abuse.

Still under its Forest Management Services, Bernal said that his office will push for the urban greening of 10-kilometer area covering the Naga City-Cararayan Road and rehabilitation of a 100-hectare mangrove sites in Magarao, Calabanga and Bombon here in Camarines Sur.

Cenro-Naga has also tied up with the local government here to award 800 titles to residential lot owners in Queborac, Bagumbayan, Naga City before the year ends.

This is under Republic Act 10023 or the residential free patent law, which states that lot owners who had been occupying their lots for 10 years, are already qualified to have their lots titled.

“As part of our aggressive campaign to award titles to residential lots and agricultural land owners in line with our land management services, we also push for the titling of 10 Gawad Kalinga sites and urban poor areas within this city. We will also spearhead activities leading to the awarding of housing lots to DENR Employees in Dalipay, Camarines Sur before the year ends,” Bernal added.

This is equated to about 70 lots for the lucky recipients. Outside the city, 100 hectares of agricultural lands located within the 3rd District of Camarines Sur are also being eyed for titling.

For its campaign against illegal logging, Bernal also lauded members of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army and the Prosecutor’s Office for facilitating the immediate conviction of illegal loggers.

Out of 10 cases filed against the suspects, nine led to conviction.

Bernal said that he will continue to push for similar efforts pursuant to his mandate as a public servant.