New EMB Assistant Director is a Bicolano

News Release

            LEGAZPI CITY – A true blooded Bicolano is designated as the officer-in-charge to the office of the Assistant Director at the Environmental Management Bureau head office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In a special order signed by Environment Sec. Ramon Paje, Engr. Gilbert Gonzales, CESO IV is designated as OIC Assistant Director.

            Prior to his designation to the office of the Assistant Director, Gonzales led the EMB V as the Regional Director for a span of eleven years.

            Under his watch at the regional office, Gonzales implemented a comprehensive water quality management program highlighted by a public-private partnership dubbed “Clean Bicol Rivers” (CBR). The EMB identified urban rivers in the region for its rehabilitation and conservation efforts, through a multi-stakeholders synergy embodied in six river management councils. As per EMB V’s assessment, all of the CBR rivers posted significant improvement on its water quality and a decreasing trend on garbage thrown at the streams.

            His resolute campaign for industry compliance to clean water act led to prompt and comprehensive resolution to the worst water pollution case in the region, when the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project spilled their cyanide-laden wastewater off the Albay Gulf due to an overflowing tailings pond in October 2005. The Bureau slapped the erring mining company with 10.4 million pesos in fines and penalty.

            Eco-waste management is also AD Gonzales’ priority, providing technical assistance to every local government for their effective implementation and compliance to Republic Act 9003 also known as the Ecological solid Waste Management Act. Under his guidance, two local governments received national recognition for their effective eco-waste management as epitomized by Brgy. Lubiano, Pilar, Sorsogon and the latest national champion in zero basura campaign – the town of Magarao in Camarines Sur.

            To put emphasis on segregation and recycling, the new Assistant Director initiated Waste to Cash Market (W2CM) project in Legazpi and Naga City to urge private and public partnership in solid waste management. W2CM underpins DENR commitment to the climate change campaign to lower waste consumption, generation and advocate for recycling.

            With Gonzales’ guidance, Bicol is able to maintain a fair level of air quality as compared to other regions. He established three air sampling stations in the region’s key cities, Iriga, Legazpi and Naga City. He urged colleges and universities to support the government’s anti-smoke belching campaign with their participation to “Bantay Tambutso sa Eskwelahan”, provided technical assistance to local governments in the creation of Anti-Smoke Belching Unit and passing ordinances aimed at banning garbage burning or “Bantay Sunog Basura” moreover, enjoining LGUs to set up “Green Spaces” or greening of identified open spaces to serve as carbon sink/buffer zones to air pollution.

            Alongside these accomplishments, Gonzales was also instrumental to the signing of the memorandum of understanding among hospitals and healthcare providers in Albay to regulate their healthcare wastes and enforce compliance to the Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Waste Management Act. Currently the EMB is monitoring 118 healthcare facilities, 8 transporters, 5 temporary storage and disposal facilities and strictly overseeing small scale gold processing plants in Paracale, Camarines Norte and Aroroy, Masbate.

            Meanwhile, the steadfast resolution of the Balocawe Iron Ore mining dispute in Irosin, Sorsogon earned Gonzales a commendation from DENR Undersecretary Jeremias Dolino as he imposed fines and penalty to the mining project’s proponent and implemented a strict compliance to environmental laws.

            A civil and sanitary engineer by profession, Gonzales rose from the ranks, as a pollution control technician to OIC, Assistant Director of EMB head office. He obtained his master’s degree in Environmental Studies at the University of New South Wales in Australia, his bachelor’s degree in civil and sanitary engineering at the Mapua Institute of Technology. (ASAraya, DENR V)