Starting next year, both officials and employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be working under a new environment following Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu’s issuance of special orders (SO) reshuffling key executives of the department.
The reshuffle is expected to affect undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and director-level officials who were also given new offices, or services, to supervise.
In an SO dated November 22, 2019, Cimatu has assigned undersecretaries to be “in charge” of certain offices, or services, in the DENR.
Undersecretary Rodolfo C. Garcia is the new chief of staff, and field operations undersecretary for Visayas and Mindanao, and is in charge of the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the agency which implements the Enhanced National Greening Program.
Environment Undersecretary Ernesto D. Adobo Jr.’s assignments are administration, finance, human resources and information system. He has been assigned as the supervising undersecretary of the Land Management Bureau.
Environment Undersecretary Jonas R. Leones has been assigned to legal, policy, planning and international affairs, and is now the supervising officer of the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB).
Environment Undersecretary Analiza R. Teh retains her assignment as undersecretary for climate change and mining concerns. In addition to being the supervising officer for the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Teh is the new supervising officer of the Environmental Management Bureau.
Environment Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna has an additional assignment on priority programs on top of being the undersecretary for field operations for Luzon.
Environment Undersecretary Jim O. Sampulna has been assigned to enforcement and Muslim affairs, and was named as supervising officer for task forces, including Environment Protection and Enforcement Task Force, and TF Tayo ang Kalikasan.
Environment Undersecretary Sherwin Rigor is assigned to the DENR’s attached agencies.
Environment Undersecretary Benny D. Antiporda retains his assignment as undersecretary for solid-waste management and local government unit (LGU) concerns, as well as designation as supervising officer for the National Solid Waste Management Commission.
In a separate SO dated December 2, 2019, most assistant secretaries of the DENR were also given new assignments.
Environment Assistant Secretary Corazon Davis is assigned to policy, planning, foreign-assisted and special projects; Environment Assistant Secretary Marcial C. Amaro Jr. is assigned to field operation-Visayas; Environment Assistant Secretary Michelle Angelica D. Go is assigned to legal and legislative affairs, and supervising the legal and legislative liaison offices.
Environment Assistant Secretary Joan A. Lagunda is assigned to administration and human resources, and is the supervising officer of the human resource development service and administrative service; Environment Assistant Secretary Nonita S. Caguioa has been assigned to finance, information system and mining concerns; Environment Assistant Secretary Daniel Nicer is assigned to enforcement; Environment Assistant Secretary Joselin Marcus E. Fragada to field operations; Environment Officer in Charge Assistant Secretary Ricardo L. Calderon, climate change; Environment OIC Assistant Secretary Ruth M. Tawantawan is assigned to field operations-Eastern Mindanao and concurrent regional executive director of DENR Region 11; Environment OIC Assistant Secretary Gilbert C. Gonzales is assigned to field operations-Southern Luzon and concurrent regional executive director, DENR Region 4A; Environment OIC Assistant Secretary Metodio U. Turbella is assigned to field operations-Western Mindanao.
DENR Director IV Jesus Enrico Moises B. Salazar, in an SO dated December 10, was designated as assistant secretary for LGU concerns.
In another SO, Calderon’s designation was amended, assigning him as OIC assistant secretary for climate change and concurrent director of the Biodiversity Management Bureau, while Lagunda’s new assignment, or designation, is assistant secretary for administration, human resources and legislative affairs.
Cimatu, in another SO dated December 10, 2019, named former ERDB Director Sofio B. Quintana as director for internal audit service, while DENR Director Roland R. Castro is assigned as director of administrative service. Last, DENR Director Angelito V. Fontanilla was assigned as director, foreign-assisted and special projects service.
In an interview, Antiporda, the deputy spokesman of Cimatu, said the “reshuffle,” which caused the demotion of several officials, only aims to give chance to others.
With the new assignments, he said, the DENR chief is hoping for a more “aggressive” performance next year.