Isabela environment office ris country's forester of the year

Isabela environment officer is country's forester of the year

 

By CHARLIE C. LAGASCA

ILAGAN, Isabela - The Society of Filipino Foresters Inc. (SFFI) has chosen this province's environment officer as this year's outstanding forester in the country, besting other nominees from all over the country.

Forester Felix Taguba, provincial environment and natural resources officer (PENRO) of this province, was named outstanding forester of the year for his dedicated, versatile and productive service as a protector of the environment, especially in this part of the country where one of the country's remaining forests have been ably protected and preserved under his stewardship.

Taguba, who rose from the ranks, received the award in a ceremony held at Alment Hotel and Inland Resort, in Butuan City , Agusan del Norte, last July 22, which also culminated the five-day annual convention of the country's foresters and SFFI's 59th anniversary.

The selection and awards committee of the Society of Filipino Foresters Inc. cited Taguba for his "26 years of dedicated, versatile and productive service as a government forester."

"It's such an honor to be recognized by one's own peers and the recognition is sweetest, it being given as a result of the years of service one has wholeheartedly given to the community at large," said Taguba, whose leadership was credited for the series of confiscations and recoveries of some 500,000 board feet of illegally sourced out forest trees last year.

Taguba's award was given in relation to his outstanding achievements regarding the preservation of the environment and the forest resources in the province of Isabela , the biggest province in terms of area in the region and the second in the whole country.

Taguba bested all other competitors in the nationwide competition, including his closest rival, a fellow provincial environment and natural resources officer from Caraga region, as a result of the outstanding service provided by his office in terms of defending the environment and natural resources in the province, particularly its forest cover and mineral resources.

They were the two finalists chosen from out of a batch of nominees from throughout the country. CCL