Though the creation of Environment Office
is optional under Republic Act No. 7160, known as the Local Government Code of
1991, the Province of Negros Occidental firmly asserted its commitment to
rehabilitate, conserve and protect the environment by creating the Provincial
Environment Management Office (PEMO) in 1993.
As mandated by RA 7160, the functions of
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as well as those of
other national government agencies were devolved to the Local Government Units
(LGUs). Hence, 18 personnel of DENR were devolved to the Province of Negros
Occidental in October 1993. Among the devolved functions are the following:
Forest Management (focus on the implementation of the community based forestry projects), Protected Areas and
Wildlife, Environmental Management, Mines and Geo-Science Development and land
management.
Among
the polies that supported the creation of PEMO are the following:
- DENR
Administrative Order No. 92-30 prescribed
the Guidelines for the Transfer and Implementation of DENR Functions Devolved
to the LGUs
- SP
Res. No. 306 s. 1992-July 29, 1992 –
Res. Re-adopting the Mandatory/Optional
Positions as provided for by RA 7160, otherwise known as the 1991 Local
Government Code in the Organizational Structure of the Provincial Government of
Negros Occidental
- SP
Res. No. 317 s. 1992-August 12, 1992 –
Res. Amending SP Resolution No. 306 series of 1992 to include additional
mandatory/optional positions, namely: 1. Provincial Veterinarian and 2.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer
- SP
Res. No. 384-A s. 1992-Oct. 7, 1992 –
Resolution Authorizing the Provincial Government to sign the MOA between the
Province and the DENR relative to the Devolution of DENR Functions.
- SP
Res. No. 123 s. 1994-March 1994 –
Resolution concurring the Appointment of Mr. Edwin P. Abanil
to the position of ENR Officer
- SP
Res. No. 245 s. 1994-May 10, 1994 –Resolution
Approving the Enactment of ordinance no. 26, s of 1994 Changing the
Nomenclature of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO)
to Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO).
The implementation of the PEMOs Programs
and Projects had evolved which is anchored on the Provincial Environment Code
of 2005. This is where the Action entitled,
“Effective Natural Resources
Governance through Inter-LGU Alliances in the Province of Negros Occidental was
anchored, partnership between the European Commission
and the Provincial
Government of Negros Occidental in 2010-12. The Action had established a Provincial Natural Resources Management Framework and was adopted by
the
Inter-LGU Alliances and its member LGUs.
The PNRM Framework was translated into
a Local Action with the following components using the Ridge to Reef or
Ecosystems-Based Management Approach:
Component 1: Resource Assessment and Inventory
Component 2: Resource Regulation and Utilization
Component 3: Resource Conservation and Rehabilitation
Component 4: Resource Protection
Overarching Strategies: Information,
Education and Communication, Organization
and Capacity Building, Financing
Mechanisms, Monitoring and Evaluation, Education and Communication, Organization and Capacity Building, Financing Mechanisms, Monitoring and Evaluation, Knowledge Management and Data Banking, Multi- Sectoral Partnership and Policy Support.
The PEM Office was further
institutionalized though the enactment of Ordinance No. 010, series of 2014, An
Ordinance Strengthening the Capacity of the Executive
Branch of the
Provincial Government of Negros
Occidental Improving its Organizational Structure and Staffing, Instituting
mechanism for the Smooth Implementation
Process, and for Other Purposes.
In 2019, an Executive Order No. 19-13 was
issued by the Governor to institutionalize the programs and projects of the
Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) for sustainable environmental
management and providing for the implementing rules and management thereof.
An ecosystem-based approach to
environmental management that focuses on (a) human well being, (b) ecological
well-being, and (C) good governance should be the overarching principle of each
and every project and program implemented by each division of PEMO.
