Yet another milestone was set during the Awards Night at the Marison Hotel, Legazpi City, where the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sorsogon City was honored with the esteemed Saringaya Award. This highly acclaimed accolade, the oldest, longest-running, and most prestigious regional environmental recognition conferred by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), serves as a testament to the city’s exemplary ecological initiatives under the “Gayon Sorsogon” program, one of twelve priority programs pioneered and strictly implemented by City Mayor Ester Hamor.
The City’s commitment never fell short in implementing impactful initiatives for the betterment of our environment. Under the Gayon Sorsogon, managed by CENRO and the City Tourism Office, projects such as solid waste management and segregation; community cleaning activities that maintain the city’s cleanliness; environmental impact task force that addresses environmental complaints, such as illegal discharges and pollution; massive reforestation with a goal of planting 150, 000 trees annually to both public and private lands across the city; as well as Information and Education Campaigns (IEC) secured this recognition with a staggering 98% rating, topping the competition across all the categories.
Through her acceptance message, City Mayor Hamor extended her thanks to the entire local government unit for their efforts and specifically acknowledged the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), headed by Mr. Ronando “Jungie” Gerona Jr, for their crucial role in securing this award. Their comprehensive documentation of all aforementioned initiatives made the evaluation process by the DENR regional office seamless, highlighting the transparency and accountability of all the city’s efforts.