(DENR-Eastern Visayas)
GUIUAN, Eastern Samar– Residents, entrepreneurs, and investors here and neighboring towns no longer had to travel long distances to process environmental permits after the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) rolled out its two-day “Express Permitting on Wheels” program in Eastern Samar.
The mobile permitting caravan, held at the Guiuan Gymnasium from July 15 to 16, offered a one-stop venue for the processing of various environmental documents, part of the agency’s effort to make government services more accessible while promoting responsible and environmentally compliant development.
Among the services provided were the application and processing of Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC), Certificates of Non-Coverage (CNC), tree-cutting permits, Certificates of Area Status, land status certifications, and land titling applications.
The activity brought together several DENR offices and attached agencies, including the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Protected Area Management Office (PAMO), and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO)-Borongan.
Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan welcomed the initiative, saying it allows government services to reach communities that would otherwise need to travel to regional or provincial offices.
She encouraged entrepreneurs, investors, farmers, and fisherfolk to take advantage of the program, describing it as an example of government services becoming more accessible to the public.
The mayor also stressed that the initiative goes beyond simplifying permit applications.
“It is about helping our people understand the proper processes, encouraging responsible development, and making sure that progress and environmental protection coexist,” she said.
Benjamin Gonzales, officer-in-charge of CENRO(Community Environment and Natural Resources Office)-Borongan, said the mobile caravan primarily aimed to make DENR services more affordable and accessible not only to Guiuan residents but also to those from nearby municipalities, including Salcedo, Mercedes, and Quinapondan.
He said the office processed numerous requests for land status certifications and accepted applications for land titling during the two-day activity.
Meanwhile, Robert Julius Miano, Ecosystems Management Specialist II of PAMO, said one of the most requested services was the issuance of certificates of area status, a document required before developers and business owners can obtain a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) clearance.
The clearance is necessary for projects located within protected areas, including the Guiuan Marine Resource Protected Landscape and Seascape (GMRPLS), one of Eastern Visayas’ largest protected coastal ecosystems that covers extensive coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and island communities. The protected area is recognized for its rich marine biodiversity and is subject to stricter environmental regulations to ensure sustainable development.
Residents welcomed the initiative, with Guiuan resident Marichu Padriquez, who availed herself of the land titling service, saying the process was faster and more convenient than traveling to government offices outside the municipality.
The DENR said the Express Permitting on Wheels program is expected to be expanded to other local government units across Eastern Visayas in the coming months as part of its effort to improve public access to environmental services while encouraging compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
(MARK VAN MACAWILE)
