The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Philippines was one of the awardees at the ‘EMB Recognition of Partners in Environmental Sustainability’ awarding ceremony held on February 7 in Quezon City.
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) organized the event to celebrate the outstanding contributions and unwavering dedication of their partners and stakeholders in addressing the country’s environmental challenges and fostering sustainable practices.
In her welcoming message, DENR Assistant Secretary for Environment and Concurrent EMB Director Jacqueline Caancan emphasized the importance of invaluable partnerships and collaborations to achieve true environmental stewardship.
“Your unwavering support and dedication have been instrumental in the success of our programs. Today we not only recognize your achievements, but we also celebrate the profound impact of your collective efforts,” Caancan said.
Inspirational messages were likewise delivered by DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas Leones and DENR Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems and Climate Change Analiza Rebuelta-Teh.
“Environmental sustainability, by its very nature, requires a collective effort. The challenges we face transcend the capabilities of any single entity,” Leones remarked.
“The escalating impacts of climate change, the alarming levels of pollution and the loss of biodiversity are issues that remind us of the delicate balance between humanity and the environment, and underscore the urgency of collective action,” Rebuelta-Teh reflected.
UN-Habitat Philippines Country Programme Manager Cris Rollo received the award, which recognized UN-Habitat’s Healthy Oceans and Clean Cities Initiative (HOCCI).
With US $3-million funding from the Government of Japan, the initiative, which was implemented from April 2020 until September 2023, aimed to reduce marine plastic litter by strengthening institutional capacities to accelerate the operationalization and localization of the National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Reduction and Management of Marine Litter (NPAP-ML) and the development of waste management systems.
HOCCI partnered with the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Calapan, Davao, Legazpi, Manila and Ormoc to successfully implement the initiative. Technical staffs of the 6 partner cities were capacitated on the formulation of the City Plan of Action on Marine Litter, while 11 community-based organizations (with 857 members) were capacitated in solid waste management, organizational management, and financial management, resulting in the establishment of social enterprises, incorporating the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) , through their crafted operations plans.
“This award is very special for UN-Habitat because it recognizes our contribution to the national government’s efforts in responding to the challenges of marine plastic pollution in the country. Considering that the Philippines is one of the top producers of marine plastic waste, our cities play a critical role, a very key role, in its reduction and in addressing the issues and challenges of marine plastic pollution and solid waste management,” Rollo said.
DENR and EMB officials, together with the awardees, also signed a Pledge of Support to further advance environmental sustainability and strengthen the spirit of partnership and collective responsibility to promote environmental awareness, support policy implementation, adopt sustainable practices, engage in environmental stewardship and commit to innovation and accountability.
