Rotarians named as “environment protectors”

BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO

LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… do not destroy… trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?” (Deuteronomy 20:19, the Holy Bible).

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ROTARIANS NAMED AS ENVIRONMENT PROTECTORS: Now, Rotarians from all over the 10 districts of Rotary International (RI) in the Philippines can participate more effectively and meaningfully in the campaign to protect, preserve and rehabilitate the environment, with an agreement deputizing them as partners and agents of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Twelve “ChangeMaker Presidents” representing 12 Rotary Clubs from District 3810 of Rotary International signed the agreement, jointly crafted and prepared by the Rotary Club of Intramuros and by the DENR, through Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, the task force commander of the DENR Environmental Law Enforcement, and DENR Assistant Secretary  Marlo D. Mendoza, the chairman of the national greening program.

The signing took place during the regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Intramuros last Thursday, August 25, 2011. The agreement will now be forwarded to DENR Secretary Reynaldo Paje and as envisioned by the Rotary Club of Intramuros, it will be shared with all interested Filipino Rotarians.

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“PRESERVE, PROTECT AND PROMOTE ENVIRONMENT”: The first salient feature of the agreement says: “That the ChangeMaker Presidents of RI District 3810 and their interested Officers and Members shall commit assistance, in whatever way they can, to include, among other activities, the adoption of `Social Fencing Pilot Communities’ in the pursuit of DENR projects to preserve, protect, and promote environmental welfare.

The second salient feature says: “That the DENR Executive Director shall deputize, as he hereby deputizes, by virtue of these presents, the ChangeMaker Presidents of Rotary International District 3810 and their interested Officers and Members, as Deputy Environment and Natural Resources Officers of the DENR, effective upon signing hereof, and such deputation shall be continuing…”

The agreement recognizes, in line with the RI Presidential Emphasis Projects on water and sanitation and economic and community development “(T)hat there is a need for everyone, in government and in the private sector, to pursue committed action to preserve, protect, and promote the greening of the environment…”

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12 ROTARY PRESIDENTS SIGN AGREEMENT: My heartfelt gratitude for making this deputization of Rotarians as DENR officers possible goes to Global President Sixto “Kit” Lagare of the Rotary Club of Cosmopolitan Cubao (Quezon City), who initiated the negotiations with Gen. Miranda. Kit, who is a broadcaster at BATAS INTERNET TV (www.batasmedia.yolasite.com), certainly did much for this project.

I also wish to thank the ChangeMaker Presidents of District 3810 who expressed support for this environmental endeavor, especially those who attended the meeting on August 25, 2011, namely: Richard Chua Chiaco of RC Bagumbayan; Nellie King of RC Chinatown; Andy Lim of RC Bacoor; Mike Dalumpines of RC Pasay MOA; Mila Manabat of RC Pasay Millenium.

My gratitude also goes to Milagros Cipriano of RC San Jose Tamaraw, Mindoro; Persie Torregoza of RC Lubang Island, Mindoro; Carmen Moreno of RC Hiyas ng Maynila; Milet Chica Lledo of RC Manila South; Raymond Peralta of RC Pasay Ilustrado; and Donato Reyes of RC Tondo.

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Rotarians, “environment protectors” na!



INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “…huwag niyong sisirain ang mga puno sa pamamagitan ng pagputol sa kanila, sapagkat makakain ninyo ang kanilang bunga. Huwag ninyo silang puputulin. Tao ba ang mga puno na dapat ninyo silang salakayin?” (Deuteronomio 20:19, Bibliya).

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ROTARIANS, ENVIRONMENT PROTECTORS NA! Ngayon, magkakaroon na ng mas epektibo at mas makabuluhang partisipasyon ang mga Rotarians mula sa 10 distrito ng Rotary International (RI) sa Pilipinas sa pagbibigay-proteksiyon, pangangalaga at pagsasayos na muli ng kapaligiran, sa pagkakapirma ng isang kasunduang nagtatalaga sa kanila bilang mga agents ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Labindalawang “ChangeMaker Presidents” mula sa 12 Rotary Clubs sa RI District 3810 ang lumagda sa kasunduan na nauna ng iniakda sa pagtutulungan ng Rotary Club of Intramuros at ng DENR, sa pamamagitan ni Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, ang task force commander ng DENR Environmental Law Enforcement at DENR Assistant Secretary Marlo D. Mendoza, ang chairman ng national greening program.

Ang kasunduang ito ay nilagdaan kasabay ng regular meeting ng Rotary Club of Intramuros noong Huwebes, Agosto 25, 2011, at ipapadala na kay DENR Secretary Reynaldo Paje. Gaya ng naisin ng Rotary Club of Intramuros, ibabahagi din ang kasunduang ito sa iba pang interesadong Filipino Rotarians.

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“ISAAYOS, PROTEKSIYUAN AT ISULONG ANG KAPALIGIRAN”: Naririto  ang unang importanteng bahagi ng kasunduan: “Ang mga ChangeMaker Presidents ng RI District 3810 at ang kanilang mga opisyales at miyembro ay magbibigay ng tulong, sa kanilang makakayanan, upang isama sa kanilang mga programa ang pagtulong sa mga `Social Fencing Pilot Communities’, ayon sa layunin ng DENR na maisalba, maprotektahan at maisulong ang kagalingang pang-kalikasan.

Ang pangalawang mahalagang bahagi ng kasunduan: “Itinatalaga ng DENR Executive Director, sa pamamagitan ng kasunduan, ang mga ChangeMaker Presidents ng Rotary International District 3810 at ang kanilang mga opisyales at kasapi, bilang mga Deputy Environment and Natural Resources Officers ng DENR, umpisa sa pagkalagda ng kasunduan at magpapatuloy…” 

Kinikilala ng kasunduan, ayon na rin sa RI Presidential Emphasis Projects sa tubig at kalinisan at pagpapalago ng kabuhayan sa mga komunidad “na mayroong pangangailangan para sa lahat, sa gobyerno at sa pribadong sektor, na itaguyod ang mga pagkilos upang mapagtibay, maproteksiyunan at maisulong ang pagsasa-luntian ng kapaligiran…”

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12 ROTARY PRESIDENTS LUMAGDA SA KASUNDUAN SA DENR: Lubos ang aking pasasalamat kay Global President Sixto “Kit” Lagare ng Rotary Club of Cosmopolitan Cubao (Quezon City) sa mga ginawa niya upang maisakatuparan ang pagtatalaga ng mga Rotarians bilang DENR officers. Talagang grabe ang ikinilos ni Kit (isang broadcaster namin sa BATAS INTERNET TV---www.batasmedia.yolasite.com) para dito. 
 
Nais ko ding pasalamatan ang mga ChangeMaker Presidents ng District 3810 na sumuporta sa proyektong ito, lalo na sa mga dumalo sa pulong noong Agosto 25, 2011: Richard Chua Chiaco ng RC Bagumbayan; Nellie King ng RC Chinatown; Andy Lim ng RC Bacoor; Mike Dalumpines ng RC Pasay MOA; Mila Manabat ng RC Pasay Millenium.


Nagpapasalamat din ako sa mga ChangeMaker Presidents na sina Milagros Cipriano ng RC San Jose Tamaraw, Mindoro; Persie Torregoza ng RC Lubang Island, Mindoro; Carmen Moreno ng RC Hiyas ng Maynila; Milet Chica Lledo ng RC Manila South; Raymond Peralta ng RC Pasay Ilustrado; at Donato Reyes ng RC Tondo.

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