Planners urges LGUs to adopt environmental planning

By Cyryl L. Montales

LEGAZPI City --- The Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners (PIEP) spearheaded the 2022 PIEP National Convention and General Assembly (NATCON) held from Nov. 7 to 9 at Legazpi City Convention Center. The event was sponsored by the Provincial Government of Albay.

The event aims to strengthen its network and strategies with communities, various sectors and Local Government Units (LGUs) on mitigating climate change with the theme, "Rise up to the Global Challenges through environmental planning."

PIEP is a non-profit, non-government, professional organization which raises and conducts advance studies, practice and development on environmental planning in the Philippines.

According to PIEP Board of Trustees President Maria Ana M. Pullido, almost 1,000 or 850 delegates joined the said event.

Attendees came from the three (3) island provinces of the country . Mindanao has the biggest percentage of attendees coming from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro and some environmental planners from Basilan, and Lamitan City.

Pullido stated that, “At the end of this convention we expect that the 31 chapters that would be 32 soon, I will ask them if what they think of some effective strategies to work in their municipality/cities in the next few years. If the [strategy] is old maybe we will come up with a new way to do it since we ought to leverage community centric or risk informed systems that enable rehabilitation strategies”.

“We are advicing the local executives by advocating, inform strategies, and plan to be highly connected with us on how they are preparing their development plans [for the community],” Pullido added.

PIEP Vice President Adolfo V. Encila Jr. emphasized the significance of Environmental planners in policy making and program implementations of LGUs to ensure that their local infrastructure projects will not affect the environment and communities.

This is pursuant to Republic Act No. 10587 which regulates the environmental planning profession in the Philippines and recognizes the importance of environmental planning in nation-building and development.

“What we need is to work together and collaborate,” Encila said.

PIEP NATCON also showcased variety of local products such as souvenirs, handicraft bags and fans and other products from different LGUs and others around the country.

The Local Government Unit of Sariaya, Quezon promotes their locally made products such as handicraft fans and bags, vinegar and other processed foods during the three-day the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners (PIEP) National Convention (NATCON). (PIA5/Albay)