GMA urged to let Reyes stay with DENR

A broad network of environment organizations yesterday appealed to President Arroyo to reconsider the transfer of Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes to the Department of Energy.

This appeal came as the Green Army and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had just launched the Trees for Life project, which aims to plant 20 million trees across the country in the next four months.

Mrs. Arroyo and Reyes spearheaded the project launch at the La Mesa Ecopark last July 18.

Later the same day, however, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced in his weekly press conference at Malacañang the appointment of former Manila mayor Lito Atienza as the new environment chief, while Reyes was re-appointed to the Cabinet as head of the DOE.

“I just pray that this is not (to) sabotage the project and the President because she is going to be the one who will look very bad here,” said Odette Alcantara, who questioned the timing of the appointments and even hinted that Mrs. Arroyo might have been ill advised on changes.

“Who’s idea was it (to change the leadership of the DENR)?” she asked.

Alcantara, convener of Mother Earth Philippines, asserted that Reyes must stay at the DENR until at least the end of the year or until the last sapling of the 20 million trees is planted.

Green Army expressed fear that the Trees for Life project might be put on the sidelines after Reyes leaves the DENR.

During a press conference in Quezon City yesterday, member-organizations of the Green Army were unanimous in describing Reyes as a “good and efficient implementer” of environment programs.

“I’m here not to praise Reyes but to hail a project that is incomparable since I became aware of the environment,” Alcantara said. She however quickly clarified that the personalities involved – Atienza and Reyes – in the issue were “merely incidental” to their appeal to the President.

Two days after the announcement of Reyes’ transfer to the DOE, women-environmentalists led by Alcantara wrote Mrs. Arroyo and asked for a meeting with the Chief Executive to discuss “concerns that unite and not issues that divide.”

Specifically, the women-environmentalists informed the President of their concern on the fate of the 20 million trees.

“We are worried that they will suffer the fate of abandoned children – no nourishment, no care, no love, and no chance to live and flourish to generate the capacity to provide clean air for the succeeding generations,” the letter stated.