The Iloilo City Coastal Resource Management Council (ICCRMC) was created to draw up plans, programs, and activities to rehabilitate, protect, develop, and conserve the coastal areas.
Mayor Jose Espinosa III issued Executive Order No. 028 April 29 appointing himself as ICCRMC chair and City Administrator Atty. Hernando Galvez as Official Alternate; and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-6 Regional Executive Director Francisco Milla Jr. as Co-Chairman.
City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Head Engr. Noel Hechanova serves as Executive Director; and Environment Management Specialist I Engr. Jose Renan Escoto as Assistant Executive Director.
“The council is one way to address the different issues in coastal areas. Our approach there will be holistic. The dirtiness of coastlines is among those many issues and we have already planned out for the coastal sanitation,” Hechanova said.
“ICCRMC will be like Iloilo-Batiano River Development Council. Agencies involved presented their plans and after this, we will hold small meetings per sector such as about livelihood and water quality,” he added.
Hechanova hoped that the cleaning of coastlines will soon serve as model just like the rehabilitation of Iloilo-Batiano River which earned the Galing Pook Award in 2018.
CENRO has developed information education campaign materials about land and water pollution to raise awareness among residents and encourage them to take actions.
ICCRMC was launched May 3 with members that include DENR-Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), DENR-CENRO, DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Housing Authority, Department of Health, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, Iloilo CENRO, General Services Office, Office of the City Agriculturist, City Planning and Development Office, and City Health Office.
CENRO is designated as secretariat and tasked to create the ICCRMC Technical Working Group.
ICCRMC will sustain strong and active public-private sector work partnership in all planning and development efforts relative to coastal zones.
It will take the lead in enforcing all existing national and local policies and guidelines to help regulate the utilization and development of coastal zones.
It will also promulgate new policies and guidelines that will further enhance sustainable development initiative for rehabilitation, protection, protection, and conservation of coastal areas. (Merianne Grace Ereñeta/Iloilo City PIO)
