PCCI hails appointment of Ramos as DENR head

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) expressed its support yesterday for President Arroyo’s appointment of Horacio C. Ramos as the new secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Ambassador Francis Chua, PCCI president, said he strongly believes that Ramos, with more than 40 years of public service, unparalleled experience, and outstanding achievements, is the best qualified to hold the position as DENR secretary. Since his career began in 1969 with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), he has continuously risen from the ranks, including regional executive director of DENR- CAR, to become director of MGB, where he strongly advocated for a responsible and sustainable minerals industry.

Under Ramos’ guidance and direction, the MGB fully focused on the revitalization of the Philippine minerals industry under the principles of sustainable development, with the aim of rebuilding the economy and improving the quality of life of the Filipino. Indeed, his management skills provided the needed consistency in government policies in the mineral sector.

Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Benjamin Philip Romualdez, who is also PCCI vice-president for industry, said he is confident that Ramos’ leadership and dedication to public service will be of great significance in helping DENR achieve its goals of being a dynamic force in the protection, conservation, development and management of environment and natural resources.

Quinto bids goodbye to DENR press corps

Outgoing Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Eleazar Quinto bade goodbye to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) press corps yesterday saying “I could have done more.”

Revealing that at least two mining issues may have led to his short stint as DENR chief, Quinto nevertheless assured that as a “good soldier” he would follow the orders of President Arroyo who has appointed him instead as director general of the Presidential Coalition Affairs Office. Quinto said he would once again be involved in political affairs.

However, Quinto could not help but express some regret that he could have done more in the DENR. He said that in the short time that he was in office at the DENR he was already able to streamline operations.

He denied, however, that he was anti-mining following his action on at least two tricky mining issues. One involved his decision to allow one warring mining owner to take over the operation of a disputed mine and the other involved his decision to suspend the mining operation of a firm embroiled in an intra-corporate dispute.             – Marianne Go