by: DONALD SEVILLA
” A DOG DAY AFTERNOON”
Watching the recent Senate hearing on the Chocolate Hills controversy that lasted for hours was both comical and frustrating.
As expected, resource persons from the concerned government agencies gave us the run around and evaded accountability for their actions. Everyone appeared to do a “Pontius Pilate” and pointed fingers somewhere else. This irked Senators who each tried to give them lectures on how to do their jobs better.
While some saw it as a venue for posturing and political mileage , it nonetheless showed the vulnerabilities of a bungling bureaucracy and the complexities of our many laws and guidelines that seem to contradict one another when interpreted by “bright boys” in the government service.
Even the principal author of the E-NIPAS Act in the Senate, Sen.Loren Legarda, was flabbergasted at how the essence of the law was twisted in misinterpretation when in the hands of those tasked to uphold it.
We find it insensible how such serious business was delegated solely to the level of the barangay to decide on matters involving complex environmental concerns such as in the PAMB (Protected Area Management Board) Resolutions made in support of the project proponent.
The poor barangay captains were made to bear the brunt of the faux pas that happened right under the very noses of the DENR and local chief executives both in the provincial and municipal levels.
Good thing we didn’t see them around or were they, apart from the numerous hangers-on who showed up in their finery to show support for our beleaguered officials?
At any rate it is best to understand what is the role of the PAMB and who comprises it to begin with.
“Under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-NIPAS) Act of 2018, the PAMB consists of the DENR regional director under whose jurisdiction the protected area is located, the concerned GOVERNOR, DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE/s, MAYOR/s, BARANGAY HEAD/s, three representatives from nongovernmental organizations, and at least one representative each from indigenous peoples and communities, academe, and the private sector, to name a few.”
From here, it is clear that even our local officials cannot simply wash their hands off the controversy and pass the buck to the DENR. If they had not been present during those PAMB deliberations or haven’t sent representatives, then they have been remiss in their duties. Saying that they didn’t receive notices for such meetings is a lame excuse.
To set the records straight, these meetings have minutes and attendance sheets to establish a quorum for any business tackled to be official. During the meetings that resulted to those PAMB Resolutions in question who were present?
If none of our local officials or their representatives were there, clearly then, they betrayed the public’s trust in their offices.This is disheartening to know that our laws for the protection of the environment are just not given weight and importance by our leaders who are supposed to look after us..
What was embarrassingly funny during the hearing was when our very own Governor, after his opening statement, was called out by the Committee’s Chair reminding him that he authored House Bill 2111 in the 18th Congress “AN ACT DECLARING THE CHOCOLATE HILLS AS NATIONAL PATRIMONY, NATURAL HERITAGE PARK AND GEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS, PENALIZING THEIR PILLAGE, DESTRUCTION AND DEFACEMENT AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.”
Was what happened at the Captain’s Peak in Sagbayan obviously not counter to this? Being the “Father of the Province” and a responsible public official one has to be aware of the ramifications of something you authored and passed into law.
Yet, what has been done is done. Whoever prepared the Governor’s opening statement should get the axe for putting him on the spot in front of a national audience on tv . But what all these has shown to us is another “lesson learned” in governance.
“Know whereof and whatof you speak.Take to heart the duties and responsibilities of your office, for governance is not simply trial and error.”
If we wish to strike a balance between the environment and the economy let us stop aggressively promoting tourism without putting our house in order first. Our people have been suffering from the high prices of food we put on our tables. What are our priorities?
Lastly “If you think the economy is more important than the environment, try holding your breath while counting your money.- Guy McPherson.”