BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental was named one of the 10 2021 Galing Pook Awardees for its Network Alliances for Coastal Wetlands Conservation during a virtual awarding ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, October 20.
The network is composed of 10 local government units, 52 coastal barangays, people’s organizations, fisheries and aquatic resources management councils, and hundreds of community-based environmental law enforcers.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson thanked the award giving body for the recognition given to Negros Occidental.
It is significant that Wednesday also marked the fifth year of the declaration of the Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation area as a RAMSAR site or Wetland of International Importance.
Lacson said he shares the award with all the 10 members of the Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Area Management Alliance from Bago City to the Ilog town.
“The concern of our environment is a problem of global proportions, but reducing its adverse impacts must be done locally. This honor will definitely inspire and encourage us, together with all the stakeholders, to do better and do more in terms of good environmental governance,” he said.
The 2021 Galing Pook Awards is presented by the Galing Pook Foundation, SM Prime Holdings, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Local Government Academy.