The City/Municipal/Provincial Government ENROs (Environment and Natural Resource Officers) are the real front liners in enforcing environmental laws in our communities. Seen in the photo above is a MENRO friend of mine apprehending a truck illegally dumping waste. He is permanent employee of the LGU and because the current leadership of that municipality are supportive of the green agenda, his office (MENRO) is also relatively stable and supported; more or less.
But most of our front liners are not permanent and many are ill supported. In fact, there are so many LGUs who do not even have ENROs designated more so a permanent environment law enforcement office. This is because the ENRO offices and positions thereto are merely “optional” mechanisms in the LGUs as per the current Local Government Code.
Literally this means environmental enforcement where it really matters are “optional”. I dont know about you, but this is simply unacceptable.
I had the privilege of facilitating some of the sessions during the last review and planning session of the Manila Bay Mandamus Agencies about 2 weeks ago and one of the main proposals that came out of the is the need to support the advocacy to push for the regularization of the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO positions and offices.This is not the first time a positive support for this advocacy was articulated.
In the last Multi-Sectoral Environmental Summit of the Green Convergence, the same position was adopted.
It was proposed that an AGENDA/TARGET for the next Operations Plan of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation work to respond to the Manila Bay SC Mandamus is for DILG supported by other relevant agencies and organizations to run a WRITESHOP to explore and develop Policy Proposals along the following options to make this happen:
1) Proposed amendment to the Local Government Code (LGC) to make the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO offices mandatory across the LGUs
2) Proposed LGU-level ordinance to adopt a LGU-level Environment Code (or amendment to existing ones) to incorporate the regularization of the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO offices and positions as its key implementing mechanisms
3) Proposed LGU-level ordinance and/or joint inter-agency administrative orders or an EO from the President to expand the coverage of the existing DRRMOs (without the need for an amendment to the DRRM law) within the framework of Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA) to cover the continuum of DRRM and Climate Change Adaptation into one continuum and thereby making it possible for the regularization of the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO by integrating their functions in an expanded and improve DRRM Offices in the LGUs
4) Proposed LGU-level ordinance directly adopting the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO as their optional special bodies under the relevant LGC provisions thereby effectively regularizing these offices and positions
5) Other policy proposal as may be considered relevant to puch this agenda.These policy proposals; after the WRITESHOP will then be widely disseminated and a CAMPAIGN TEAM and NETWORK set-up to coordinate its advocacy for adoption at the levels where necessary (national, LGUs)It is our hope that DILG will really push this through. We in Aksyon Kalikasan will support this!
Literally this means environmental enforcement where it really matters are “optional”. I dont know about you, but this is simply unacceptable.
I had the privilege of facilitating some of the sessions during the last review and planning session of the Manila Bay Mandamus Agencies about 2 weeks ago and one of the main proposals that came out of the is the need to support the advocacy to push for the regularization of the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO positions and offices.This is not the first time a positive support for this advocacy was articulated.
In the last Multi-Sectoral Environmental Summit of the Green Convergence, the same position was adopted.
It was proposed that an AGENDA/TARGET for the next Operations Plan of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation work to respond to the Manila Bay SC Mandamus is for DILG supported by other relevant agencies and organizations to run a WRITESHOP to explore and develop Policy Proposals along the following options to make this happen:
1) Proposed amendment to the Local Government Code (LGC) to make the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO offices mandatory across the LGUs
2) Proposed LGU-level ordinance to adopt a LGU-level Environment Code (or amendment to existing ones) to incorporate the regularization of the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO offices and positions as its key implementing mechanisms
3) Proposed LGU-level ordinance and/or joint inter-agency administrative orders or an EO from the President to expand the coverage of the existing DRRMOs (without the need for an amendment to the DRRM law) within the framework of Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA) to cover the continuum of DRRM and Climate Change Adaptation into one continuum and thereby making it possible for the regularization of the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO by integrating their functions in an expanded and improve DRRM Offices in the LGUs
4) Proposed LGU-level ordinance directly adopting the MENRO/CENRO/PGENRO as their optional special bodies under the relevant LGC provisions thereby effectively regularizing these offices and positions
5) Other policy proposal as may be considered relevant to puch this agenda.These policy proposals; after the WRITESHOP will then be widely disseminated and a CAMPAIGN TEAM and NETWORK set-up to coordinate its advocacy for adoption at the levels where necessary (national, LGUs)It is our hope that DILG will really push this through. We in Aksyon Kalikasan will support this!