LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Aug. 8 (PNA) — Legazpi City is among the many local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines that expressed its intent to replicate Pangasinan’s model Coastal Resource Management (CRM) program.
This after officials of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Legazpi City in Albay province conducted a study tour here last August 6 where they were presented Pangasinan’s pioneering programs in fishery management, and projects for river and coastal area protection and preservation.
“You have good CRM project which we intend to adopt,” said Salve Corral, City Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Legazpi when they arrived at the Pangasinan capitol.
Corral, along with 15 personnel of CENRO Legazpi, were received by Executive Assistant IV Ramon Morden and Chief Administrative Officer Irmina Francisco at the Capitol, on behalf of Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.
Morden said that “it is only under the leadership of Governor Espino that Pangasinan became a best-performing LGU notable for its comprehensive environmental advocacies.”
The Pangasinan CRM, which serves as the backbone of environmental governance of the Espino administration, had already won various regional and national citations given by the Regional Development Council (RDC) and the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Pangasinan bested three other provinces in Region 1 for three consecutive years (2008, 2009 and 2010) to win the Hall of Fame award in CRM.
The CENRO group was also presented with the “Ilog Ko Aroen, Tan Bilayen Ko,” a major component activity of Pangasinan CRM implemented under the supervision of Task Force Kalikasan — a group commissioned by Espino.
A covenant was signed by provincial officials, board members, chief executives of municipal and city LGUs, supported by various sectors, national government agencies and non-government organizations, to express support for the advocacy.
After the massive dismantling of illegal fishing structures and dredging of silts from river basins, rivers and waterways in Pangasinan regained their natural beauty and grandeur, teeming with various species of fish.
The dredged rivers also serve as a long-term flood mitigation facility. (PNA)