SECRETARY Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga vowed to implement ethical stewardship of the country’s environment and natural resources, not only to survive but to thrive, in the face of shocks and uncertainties.
Undersecretary Ernesto D. Adobo Jr. on Thursday led the ceremonial turnover by handing over the symbolic key of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to Loyzaga, the agency’s third woman secretary.
In his welcome remark, Adobo Jr. described Yulo-Loyzaga as a climate change and disaster resilience expert, adding that her nomination to the top DENR post is timely as the world struggles to limit climate change below the 1.5 degrees Celsius level.
Speaking at the turnover at the DENR offices, Yulo-Loyzaga said shocks and uncertainties are now the norms because of the impact of climate change.
“At the National Resilience Council, the definition we often use of resilience is the capacity not only to survive but to thrive in the face of shocks and uncertainties. And our environment today is typical of this type of regime. Shocks and uncertainties are in fact the norm,” she said.
Yulo-Loyzaga proposed a mission that represents ethical stewardship to serve with excellence and virtue, and uphold shared environmental values, and scientific and technical excellence.
“We want a stewardship that is democratic, where stakeholders can participate; where there is transparency in the Department’s plans and decisions,” she said.
According to Yulo-Loyzaga, the DENR needs to work in silos and harness its expertise and make sure that the capabilities of the different sectors, the different bureaus, actually are in line and in support of each other.
Scientific risk-based approach
Yulo-Loyzaga said as the chief steward of the country’s natural resources and environment, she wants to invest in a scientific risk-based approach.
“We want some quantified impact metrics and hopefully, with the Department’s projects and performance, we can set the example for the economic, social, and environmental gains that are part of the mandate of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” she said.
According to Yulo, the DENR will strive to make sure that legislation is evidence-informed and policies and programs involve consultation with our stakeholders.
“Lastly, we strive for efficiency but also technical excellence in the conduct of our work, especially in government transactions, the use of our resources, and the digitization, hopefully, and modernization of our management systems. This will enhance the delivery of service and ensure the level of performance and the impacts that we want to achieve,” she said.
Natural resources accounting
The DENR chief also emphasized the agency’s crucial role in the accounting of the country’s natural resources.
That accounting, she said, will take place “very very soon” as the new administration’s agenda moving forward planning begins.
“This will in fact involve the use of science and technology, as well as the use of financial management and economics. That means we will have to work across the different Departments to achieve that foundation,” she said.
Yulo-Loyzaga added that as DENR chief, she would like to build resilient communities along with other government agencies, to the risk-sensitive and balanced development of resources along with natural, rural, and urban transect.
“These resources are part of our national patrimony. We need to treasure them and measure what we value,” she said.
She said the DENR will work with cities which she described as engines of growth that depend largely on the ecosystems that support them to ensure inclusive development.
Climate emergency
Loyzaga, meanwhile highlighted the need to combat the climate emergency through practical climate change adaptation measures, and the use of science to approach national and local scales impacts of climate change.
“We live in a multihazard environment. Not just from natural hazards, but from industrial and natural technological hazards as well,” she explained.
“The compounding of this hazard has led to the development of systemic risk and threat to our entire social and economic system. Finally, we should strive to continuously protect our indigenous species as part of our natural heritage and at the same time harness these resources for the benefit of our country,” she said.
Image credits: Screengrab from RTVM