DENR honors past Secretaries

Zamboanga del Sur Governor Antonio H. Cerilles delivers his message after receiving a plaque of recognition from DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu during the DENR 30th Anniversary at DENR Central Office Social Hall, Quezon City last June 9, 2017.

By Jong Cadion

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (June 15, 2017) - For the first time in 30 years, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources paid tribute to all previous secretaries of the agency, whom Secretary Roy A. Cimatu called the leaders who "shaped the DENR, cumulatively making it what it is today" last Friday, June 9, 2017 in DENR Central Office, Quezon City during its Anniversary Celebration.

The previous DENR secretaries, along with the agency's oldest officials and employees, were given plaques of recognition, honoring their legacies and accomplishments.

"The credit is cumulative, and thus must be shared, not just among the leaders, but with every member of the DENR family and its attached agencies," Cimatu said.

Cimatu said it was only fair to give special credits to former DENR secretaries, citing the extraordinary sacrifices and pressures that come with the position.

"No DENR Secretary has escaped criticisms, whether fair or unfair, because it is impossible to satisfy the divergent expectations of various stakeholders," he explained.

"The post confers no immunity, but rather exposes its occupants to ordeals and dilemmas, both from below and from the top."

The said tribute was one of the highlights of the DENR 30th Anniversary celebration with the theme, "DENR@30: Pagbubuklod para sa Kalikasan." Cimatu called on the entire DENR community to continue to work with its partners and stakeholders in protecting the country's environment and natural resources.

"Uniting for the environment, for Mother Nature, is not just a battle cry or a call of the moment. It is a lifelong necessity, particularly in this era of climate change, when every individual is expected to contribute to solutions that require mass participation," he stressed.

On June 10, 1987, then President Corazon Aquino issued Executive Order No. 192 restructuring the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources or DARN and renaming it to DENR.