“Environmental protection must come first.” This was the strong message of Apayao Lone District Representative Congresswoman Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang during the Environmental Forum at Aliwa Gymnasium on February 19.
Government agencies led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government units, non-government organizations, and other stakeholders convened at the said forum to tacked solutions to environmental challenges.
Bulut-Begtang emphasized the urgency of safeguarding Apayao’s natural resources amid ongoing development efforts.
“This should be at the forefront of every leader’s mind paano ba natin maproktehan ang environment while we have this development? Nagasat tayo iti probinsiya ti Apayao kasi marami tayong mga plano. Kailangan nating pagplanuhan ang agricultural development, tourism, disaster management. But if you look at them iisa lang ang common denominator: the protection of the environment. This is how important environment is, without a good environment we cannot do all these things,” she stressed.
She challenged officials and government agencies, particularly the DENR to go beyond discussions and act. “Flooding is a recurring problem. I urge you to integrate real solutions into your plans. Assess what Apayao needs,” she urged.
Drawing from years in public service, the Congresswoman underscored conservation as the backbone of sustainable progress. “Development is meaningless if we destroy what sustains us. “As a leader and official who has been with you for many years, I have seen that protecting the environment is essential for development. Conservation is necessary for us to prosper as a region, as a country, and as a province,” she concluded.
The environmental forum provided an avenue for agencies to collaborate and align strategies on sustainable environmental management to support the province’s commitment to responsible development. By Diocen D. Tolentino
