With Malacañang’s official announcement on the nomination of Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga as the country’s chief steward of the environment and natural resources, various groups have issued statements welcoming her to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet, while expressing hope of enforcing environmental policies in their favor.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), an agency mandated to manage the country’s environment and natural resources, also acts as a regulatory agency for development projects, like quarrying and mining, and other environmentally critical projects like massive land reclamation in coastal areas and other water bodies like lakes and rivers.
Balancing act
Mining companies belonging to the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP), an association composed of most of the country’s large-scale metallic minerals development companies, said it looks forward to working with Yulo-Loyzaga “in fulfilling President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s thrust of striking a balance between economic development and environmental protection under his administration.”
“We are prepared to work with Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga in her advocacies, particularly disaster risk reduction and response, sustainable development goals, and climate change protection,” Michael Toledo, COMP chairman said.
Stop quarry, mining operations
Environmental groups, however, are quick to call on the new DENR chief to stop destructive quarrying and mining operations.
The Masungi Georeserve Foundation said it recognizes Yulo-Loyzaga’s invaluable leadership as a former Executive Director of the Manila Observatory (MO).
“After Typhoon Ondoy, the MO led the scientific studies which proved the impacts of the Upper Marikina Watershed’s deforestation to increased flood risk in towns and cities. The science is clear: restore the watershed to protect the people. We are hopeful that the new secretary will share our vision and those of many others to make Masungi and the Upper Marikina Watershed free from quarry interests and other intrusive developments,” the group said in a message e-mailed to the media.
Urgent climate action
The environmental group Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) expressed hope that Yulo-Loyzaga will take urgent climate action based on the global frameworks and standards on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in her exercise of leadership.
“Being a former executive director of Ateneo’s Manila Observatory and current president of the National Resilience Council, Secretary Toni should understand well the rapidly closing window for climate action over the next three to eight years,” the group, through its national coordinator Leon Dulce said.
Stop reclamation projects
The group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas, for its part, urged the new DENR chief to “stop reclamation projects especially in Manila Bay which is undergoing rehabilitation.”
“Incoming DENR Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga should stop all the ongoing reclamation projects across the country, especially in Manila Bay. She must adhere to the mandate of her department to protect and preserve Manila Bay for the benefit of the people. Reclamation has long been proven to be destructive both to marine biodiversity and livelihood of fisherfolks,” Ronnel Arambulo, the group’s national spokesperson said.
Image credits: National Resilience Council/Zuellig Family Foundation