Rep. Sato hails Duterte’s pro-environment stance; appeals help for Occidental Mindoro

Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine “Nene” Ramirez Sato has lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for his pro-environment stance during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The lady solon, meanwhile, also appealed to the president for help and support to communities affected by the calamities that hit Occidental Mindoro recently.

In his SONA, President Duterte underscored the importance of protecting and conserving the environment and natural resources against destructive development projects like mining.

The President said his actions on Boracay mark the beginning of a new national effort, emphasizing that “what has happened to Boracay is just an indication fo the long-overdue need to rationalize, in a holistic and sustainable manner, the utilization, management and development of our lands.”

Rep. Sato said that she shared the same stance in the preservation and protection of the environment.

“I share his strong stance for the protection of our already fragile ecosystems. His policy pronouncements only go to show that he believes in the importance of sustainable development through the protection and conservation of the environment,” Sato said in a statement.

Sato, one of the principal authors of Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, also hailed Duterte for signing the law.

She said that the law will not only help protect and conserve the threatened animal and plant biodiversity in around 3.5 million hectares of terrestrial and marine area but would also enhance the natural defense to calamities of vulnerable communities.

Meanwhile, Sato said that Occidental Mindoro needs help amid the onslaught of Josie and the southwest monsoon last week.

Latest report showed that damage caused by typhoon Josie and the habagat rains over the past few days has reached P400 million.

So far, 80 barangays in the nine municipalities were affected by the heavy downpour and at least 32,500 persons were evacuated by the combined teams from all DRRMOs, Philippine Army, PNP, Philippine Coast Guard, and BFP, according to the latest PDRRMO report.

Moreover, the estimated cost of damage to public properties is pegged at P7million, roads and infrastructure facilities in the amount of P18.9 million.

The Provincial Government of Occidental Mindoro already passed a resolution declaring a state of calamity in the entire province last July 23.

According to Sato, the impacts of typhoons like Josie and phenomenon like the southwest monsoon is “precisely the reason why Occidental Mindoro needs to be more protective of its fragile ecosystem against destructive development project.”