DENR names new Region 1 director

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), has designated a new director for its Region 1 office and a new assistant director in its central office.

Former MGB central office assistant director Elmer Biledo is the new director of the MGB regional office in Region 1 (Ilocos Region).

Lawyer Danilo U. Uykieng, meanwhile, has been appointed as the new MGB assistant director.

Before his stint as central office assistant director, Biledo served as chief geologist of MGB Regional Office IV-A (Calabarzon) for five years.

Before his appointment as MGB central office assistant director, Uykieng served as director of MGB Region III (Central Luzon).

The Mines bureau has been beefing up its workforce to enable the government to carry out the industry reforms stipulated under the new mining policy that include stricter monitoring and stoppage of illicit and unsustainable mining activities that deny the government of revenues and cause damage to the environment.

As of Oct. 15, 80.54 percent of the vacant positions in the MGB central and regional offices were already filled up.

Around 265 new employees with salary grades 17 to 23 were installed in the central and regional offices.

This was done in accordance with the MGB rationalization plan approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).