Press Release
September 23, 2009

STEP UP COLLECTION EFFORT
AND ENSURE NATURE PROTECTION - ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today not only heard The Department of Environment and Natural Resources' (DENR) 2010 budget proposal but took the opportunity to remind and advised DENR to put an extra effort on collection and ensure country-wide nature protection.

"Being the primary government agency responsible for the conservation, management, development and proper use of the country's environment and natural resources t is your solemn duty to ensure that your mandate is put into action," said Angara a patron of environment and nature.

"Over the past 50 years, the degradation of the country's natural resources had remained unabated. Forest cover had declined from an estimated 19 million hectares in 1920 to only seven (7) million hectares in 2004. On land resources, 76% of total land area in the country faces degradation. Water supply has also been declining with annual freshwater availability per capita at 1,907 cubic meters which has been the lowest among South East Asian countries," lamented Angara.

During the budget hearing last year Angara noted that DENR allotted P2 billion to pursue its "reforestation strategy. Angara suggested to align some for the promotion of using agricultural waste as fuel (e.g. for cooking stoves) to lessen the use of firewood.

For FY 2010 with a decrease of P2.226 Billion as compared to the current year's adjusted level of P13.550 Billion, the total expenditure program proposed for the DENR amounts to P11.324 Billion.

The department's budget accounts for only 0.73% of the national budget and 0.12% of the nominal Gross National Product (GNP)

The total expenditure program includes P664.05 Million as Automatic Appropriations. Of this amount, P435.814 Million is for Retirement and Life Insurance Premium and P228.236 Million is for Special Account. The latter is broken down as follows:

- P12.586 Million - sourced from gate collections of the facilities, operations or management of the different wild flora and fauna parks under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (OSEC);

- P35.0 Million - funding from the Air Quality Management Fund (EMB); and

- P180.65 Million - sourced from 20% of the land registration fees or collections of the Register of Deeds and LRA.

Angara cited significant audit observations on the accounts of DENR for CY 2008:

- Failure to disclose the nature/composition of the significant balances of the following accounts:

a. Reforestation - Upland in the amount of P522.731 Million;

b. Construction in Progress - Reforestation - Upland in the amount of P933.693 Million and Prior Year's Adjustments of P242.789 Million

- The result of the Value-for-Money Audit showed that the DENR could have earned P822.484 million, if stronger collection remedies were enforced.

"I commend the efforts of the DENR but I urge you to strive harder to sustain public confidence and salvation of our natural resources," said Angara.

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