The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol and Bicol University (BU) strengthened their partnership for environmental protection and sustainable natural resource management through the signing of Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) on September 9, 2026, at the Bicol University Guinobatan Campus in Guinobatan, Albay.
The partnership formalizes collaborative efforts between DENR Bicol and BU to advance environmental conservation, rehabilitation, education, research, and community participation.
One of the agreements covers the establishment and maintenance of a forest clonal nursery, where DENR Bicol, through its implementing Provincial and Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (PENROs and CENROs), will oversee the establishment, maintenance, and operation of the forest nursery; provide technical assistance on nursery operations, including species selection; conduct seed sourcing and collection; and provide technical training and capacity-building. BU, meanwhile, will provide the site, manpower assistance, water system, electricity, and other necessary equipment for nursery operations.
Both institutions will jointly prepare a work and operational plan, maintain the nursery in a functional and productive condition, share knowledge and technical expertise, and conduct regular monitoring and inventory of seedling production, distribution, and disposition. The partnership will also promote the use of indigenous and endemic forest tree species in reforestation initiatives.
The second agreement establishes an institutional collaboration for environmental protection, sustainable resource management, and National Service Training Program (NSTP) implementation. Through the partnership, BU NSTP students will participate in environmental conservation, protection, rehabilitation, and sustainability initiatives in coordination with DENR Bicol.
The areas of collaboration include institutionalized tree-growing and site adoption, solid waste management initiatives, climate change and environmental resilience, environmental education and capacity-building, and research and extension collaboration. These initiatives will provide students with opportunities to participate in tree planting and forest rehabilitation, community-based waste segregation and clean-up activities, climate change awareness programs, ecosystem-based adaptation initiatives, environmental seminars and trainings, and environmentally relevant research and extension activities.
DENR Bicol Regional Executive Director (RED) Francisco E. Milla Jr., CESO III, represented by OIC Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services (ARD-TS) Ronnel B. Astor, emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships with academic institutions in advancing environmental protection and sustainable resource management.
He further underscored that the collaboration provides opportunities to combine DENR’s technical expertise with BU’s academic, research, and extension capabilities while engaging students in environmental conservation and stewardship initiatives.
Through the collaboration, DENR Bicol and Bicol University reaffirm their shared commitment to translating environmental education into concrete action and strengthening institutional cooperation toward the protection, conservation, and sustainable management of the Bicol Region’s natural resources.
Source: DENR Bicol