Page 4 - DENR_Kalikasan_Vol5_No2

4
4 | |

CENROS, PENROS, AND FIELD OFFICERS

UNDERGO ENR MANAGEMENT COURSE FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE

by: Alvin D. Gatbonton
here were obvious reasons Secretary Roy A. PENROs, Heads of Task Forces, and Assistant Regional can be replicated in other Protected Areas.
Cimatu gave order to develop programs and Directors took a four-week ENR Management Course at According to PENRO Rostata, the ENR Management
Tstrengthen DENR’s frontline services. He wanted the ENR Academy in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija. It was Course made them to re ect on the past and re-think on
all Regional, Provincial, and Community O ces to be attended by 37 participants. As a main requirement, all the future. It gave them the opportunity to analyze the
responsive in addressing environmental problems. He participants or learners were required to develop and necessary adjustments they need to make in order to
wanted them to be e ective in enforcing environmental submit their “Re-Entry Action Plan” or REAP, which is be more proactive, collaborative, and people-centered
policies, laws, and regulations and to be e cient and a comprehensive eld operation action plan that they in their management of ENR. e various workshops
transparent in delivering public service. must implement in the area of their jurisdiction a er used in the course honed their skills and provided them
e Human Resource Development Service (HRDS) completing the Course. e REAP comprises 35 % of additional knowledge. ey got the chance to review
their entire grade, which they need to submit on the
Team, headed by Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo, last day of lecture, and present it to a panel before the theories, management principles, and other aspects
Jr., was keen in responding to this order of Secretary graduation. like nance, operations and policies. ey realized
Cimatu. Together with OIC Assistant Secretary Jesus the vital importance of planning and people-centered
Enrico Moises B. Salazar, Director Rolando Castro, policies. eir Ombudsman lecturer helped deepen
and the HRDS sta , they developed and launched the e HRDS Team their understanding on good governance, particularly
Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo, the importance of transparency, responsibility and
(ENR) Learning Program. "The ENR Management Course Jr. stressed that the DENR’s recent accountability in public service.
PENRO Rostata concluded, “ e ENR Management
provided us a different kind hiring of more than a hundred Course gave us a di erent kind of learning - one that
ENR Learning Program lawyers and forest patrols to would take DENR operations to a higher level, under new
e ENR Learning Program is of learning. One that would increase the agency’s manpower for trend of management paradigm. us, it denotes much
“learning with purpose.” Modules, take DENR operations to a eld operations is not enough to higher responsibility and accountability on our part.”
strengthen DENR Regions’ frontline
activities, and workshops were designed services. CENROs, PENROs,
to meet the participants’ needs to higher level, under new trend Regional Directors, and eld o cers,
strengthen DENR’s frontline services. of management paradigm. who are foremost upfront in dealing PENRO Ronnel Sopsop
ese include lling the knowledge gaps with environmental problems in the PENRO Sorsogon
in ENR management, providing a better Thus, it denotes much higher provinces and communities, must
understanding of ENR policies and responsibility and accountability be educated and trained for excellent Atty. Ronnel Sopsop, is the Class
laws, and improving the competence public service. Valedictorian of this year’s batch
and leadership of DENR o cials and on our part" of ENR Management Course. For
personnel at the regional, provincial OIC Assistant Secretary him, the management course is a
and community level. HRDS Director - PENRO Rostata for Human Resources and tremendous help for implementers
Rolando Castro, in an interview, Administration Rico Salazar made like them, who need to refresh
discussed the three (3) tracks of the ENR Learning clear that the Masters Degree in ENR related courses their minds about management,
Program. of many CENROs, PENROs, and eld o cers is not a . enforcement of laws, and leadership.
First is the ENR Management Course, which according guarantee that they will be e ective in their management
of ENR in their areas of jurisdiction. Just like many
As a Forester-Lawyer, he nds the technical and legal
to Director Castro, was designed to suit the needs of professionals who are required to attend conferences aspects of ENR management as among the most important
DENR mid-level managers, starting from those whose and continuing education programs, the DENR eld lessons of the course, which he thinks he can e ciently
salary grade is 24, and/or occupying Community ENR o cers must also undergo continuing learning programs and e ectively implement in his place of assignment. Just
O cer (CENRO), Provincial ENR O cer (PENRO), or for relevant knowledge and skills. “ ey need to be like other DENR o ces, he admits that his o ce also
Division Chief positions. is track primarily aims to oriented with the current issues and new directions of faces di cult problems such as lack of manpower, lack
equip participants with ENR management knowledge the Department; likewise be updated with current good of work ethics and values of employees, and con icting
and skills. Nonetheless, it has modules whose objective is practices, management trends, and technologies utilized policies. at is why in his Re-Entry Action Plan (REAP),
to ll the knowledge gaps and understanding on existing in environmental protection and conservation,” stressed he emphasized the importance of strengthening integrity,
ENR laws, policies, programs and projects. e ENR OIC Assistant Secretary Salazar. transparency, and accountability in governance.
Management Course also integrates the core elements
of leadership and management principles in developing On the other hand, Director Rolando Castro thinks Regarding leadership, Atty. Sopsop said, “We were
a feasible and sustainable action plan in their area of that the ENR Learning Program is a must for eld o cers: taught that leadership is not a popularity contest, and as
jurisdiction. to ll the knowledge gaps, widen their knowledge and a leader, our decision must always be anchored on the
Second is the ENR Leadership Course, which was understanding of ENR laws and policies, and sharpen bene t that it could bring to the organization regardless
the pro ciencies of the personnel from DENR’s regional, of who will be a ected by such decision.” “Leadership,
designed also for DENR mid-level managers who possess provincial and community o ces. “We want to make as we were taught, is a relationship and credibility is its
and strongly exhibit leadership potentials. Participants of sure that our frontline o cers will be capable not only in foundation. If you don’t believe in the messenger, you
this track will be introduced to new leadership styles and responding to the problems and needs of the community won’t believe the message,” he stressed.
skills, as well as important aspects of decision making. where they are assigned, but also in delivering e ectively
ey will be taught on how to e ectively communicate the programs of the Department,” said Director Castro.
DENR’s vision, mission and goals to their subordinates. CENRO Ariel Mendoza
Likewise, they will learn how to e ciently direct, control,
and advocate” DENR’s priority programs and projects to e Learner’s Experience CENRO Masinloc, Zambales
the public. PENRO Edgardo “Egay” Rostata “We were able to experience
e third course is the ENR Frontline Course, to be students again - listening to
which was designed to equip employees of CENROs PENRO Bacolod lectures, jotting down notes, taking
and PENROs, who directly interact with clients and PENRO Egay Rostata of Negros exams, mingling with old and new
stakeholders. Participants of this track would learn the Occidental, one of the participants friends. It felt like going back to
fundamentals of ENR policies, laws, programs and who completed the ENR regular school,” said CENRO Ariel
projects. ey will be trained on how to make rst Management Course, was awarded Mendoza.
level resolution, accommodate requests, and address for having the best Re-Entry Action One important lesson learned by
complaints. Likewise they will be trained on how to be Plan or REAP. When asked why his CENRO Mendoza from the Course
responsive and courteous public servants, aiming to meet REAP was chosen as the best REAP, is the signi cance of working as a team in attaining goals
the highest level of client satisfaction. PENRO Rostata said that aside from and objectives. “We need to assess the strengths and
being feasible and practical, his weaknesses of our co-workers because it could help us in
REAP has established a local-based nancing mechanism accomplishing our targets… it could help us determine
First Batch of ENR Management Course that enables initial nancing and implementation of what role or tasks to assign to each one so that the team
For HRDS pilot project, the rst batch of CENROs, programs and activities. His REAP is also sustainable and would work at its best,” said the CENRO. TO PAGE 6

VOLUME 5 NO. 2 JUNE 2018
VOLUME 5 NO. 2 JUNE 2018