PAROLEES AND PROBATIONERS ATTEND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Zambo.del Sur PPA Chief Nicasio D. Dujali (extreme left)

and Region IX PPA Officer In-Charge TarcisiaA.Tampos

join their clients in a group activity during the environmental

awareness campaign. (Photo taken by: R. T. Pacardo/DENR)  

PAGADIAN CITY - Over 30 convicts attended an Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign on Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies, National Greening Program (NGP), and Biodiversity conducted last May 23, 2013 by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region IX at the Parole and Probation Administration Office, Provincial Capitol Compound, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur in line with the observance of International Day of Biological Diversity (IDB).

According to Provincial Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) Chief Nicasio D. Dujali, the said participants are probationers and parolees residing in 17 municipalities of Zamboangadel Sur who are now in the process of reformation and reintegration to the mainstream of society. One of the intervention activities undertaken by their agency is to instill awareness and concern among probationers and parolees on how to preserve ecological balance and proper care of the environment through lectures and seminars. 

PPA is a line agency of the Department of Justice tasked to undertake the rehabilitation of offender after having been convicted and sentenced by the court through community-based treatment program.

 

“It is the totality of life forms and the areas they occupy”,

a participant correctly answers in vernacular, when asked

by DENR resource speaker ‘What Biodiversity is?’

(Photo taken by R. T. Pacardo/DENR)

The said activity was undertaken to highlight the observance of the International Day for Biological Diversitywhich is being observed every May 22 aimed to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. 

Biodiversity literally means the variety and extent of differences among living things, whether these living things are well known or yet to be discovered and whether they range from the size of a microscopic bacterium to the gigantic size of elephants or whales. It is important as source of food, fuel, timber,  fiber and other resources; medicines; works  as air and water purifier; needed for  pollination and seed dispersal, plays a role for   economic, social/cultural value;  functions  as drought, erosion  and flood control, among others.  

 

It was initially celebrated on December 29 when it was first created by the Second Committee of the United Nation (UN) General Assembly in 1992.  In 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted May 22 as IDB to commemorate the adoption of the text of the Convention on May 22, 1992. This year’s theme “Water and Biodiversity” supports the UN designation of 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation.  The annual celebration of IDB draws global attention to the problem of water supply that many countries of the world are experiencing and many others are bound to experience in the future.  It underscores the imperative for global effort to immediately address the issues to ensure sustainable water security for the current and future generations.

In her message during the program, Region IX PPA InchargeTarcisia A.Tamposcommended her people for requesting DENR personnel to conduct the said forum. “May this kind of activity be continually given to the clients who really need important information and facts regarding Mother Earth and how to restore its natural resources,” she said.

“This collaboration with DENR is worthy of commendation and I thank our guests for taking time to educate our clients because it is only in this kind of gathering that we can help instill awareness and  consciousness among our people”, Tampos  further said.  She finally urged the participants to share with their family members and neighbors the knowledge they will gain from the campaign.

In his commitment of support for Earth Care, Mr. Dujali expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the men and women from DENR who delivered the said information to their clients educating them on how to restore the Earth’s natural system which is really the call of time.  “Rest assured of our constant support in this humanitarian endeavor by planting and growing trees and doing other related activities for the present and future generations” he said. Furthermore, he is looking forward of involving their clients to the NGP, a government’s priority program being implemented by DENR which aims to plant and grow 1.5 billion seedlings to reforest  1.5 million hectares of denuded forestland from 2011-2016.(HAA/DENR IX PR)