PENRO DURING SPANISH REGIME

In 1863, by virtue of a Spanish Royal Decree an office known as “Inspeccion General de Montes” was created in the Philippines.

PENRO DURING AMERICAN REGIME

Thence in 1900, Forestry Bureau was organized under U.S Military government headed by an American General George P. Ahern. The Bureau of Forestry in Mindoro went thru varied stewardship and officer-in-charge until World War II.

PENRO DURING JAPANESE OCCUPATION

Records on file show that a Forest Station was established on July 14, 1946 in Calapan with one personnel headed by Provincial Forester Rafael Quidilla occupying the residence of Asst. District Forester Wenceslo B. Soriano. Later, during the year, two (2) more personnel were added. On July 29, 1947, the Calapan Forest Station formally became a Provincial Forest District having an administrative jurisdiction of the whole of Mindoro. Then, later on the three (3) personnel became eleven (11).

A Forest Station in Bongabon was established before World War II with varied officer-in-charge headed by OIC Godofredo Gono. Records showed that the following took over as officer-in-charge: Forester Eufracio Reyes, Forester Leonardo Agcaoili, Forester Reynaldo Labay and Limuel Menorca before the Forest Station was burned.

PENRO 1950s-1980s

In 1960, District Forester Mariano H. Villanueva was replaced by District Forester Regino Dorain, and then in 1965 to 1966 Asst. District Forester Luis Dacanay took over before District Forester Isidro M. Serrantes was assigned as the new head.

In 1969, District Forester Isidro M. Serrantes accepted the donated lot of Attorney Erlinda A.I. Espiritu located at Suqui, Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, some three (3) kilometers away from the town proper. Now, Forestry building was constructed on the donated lot and was inaugurated on April 1970 by no less than the Vice President of the Philippines Fernando Lopez under President Ferdinand Marcos as the incumbent President. The Director was Jose Viado and the Regional Director was Emmanuel Elayda.

In 1975, the Bureau of Forestry was renamed Bureau of Forest Development, still under the incumbency of Forester Isidro Serrantes who administered the oath of office to 56 personnel. Mr. Pelagio D. Bautista was then the Assistant District Forester.

In 1980, another lot was donated by Atty. Erlinda A.I. Espiritu and the Special Project – the Mindoro Integrated Rural Development Project (MIRDP) financed the construction of the Annex Building formerly occupied by the Technical personnel of the BFD under the incumbency of District Forester Pelagio D. Bautista.

In September 16, 1988, the Government Reorganization took place. All positions were considered vacant and new appointments were issued giving way to the creation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The first PENRO was Sofronio A. Andalis.

The PENR office located at Suqui, Calapan City Or. Mindoro was established as mandated under Executive Order No. 192. As defined under the reorganization of the Bureau of Forest Development, Bureau of Lands, Ecosystems Research and Development, Bureau of Mines & Geo Sciences and the Environmental Management Bureau. Under the PENRO Level, the sectoral components comprising it are the Land Mgt. Services, Forest Management Services, ERDS, PAWS, EMS and the Administrative Services. The PENRO has three (3) duly organized Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices. CENRO – Calapan which comprises the municipalities of Calapan, Baco, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera and a portion of the public forest of Naujan. CENRO – Socorro at Pasi, Socorro, Or. Mindoro covers the municipalities of Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, Pola, Pinamalayan, Gloria and Bansud. CENRO – Roxas with location at San Mariano, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro has jurisdiction over the municipalities of Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay and Bulalacao at the farthest south.

On November 7, 1988, the PENRO and CENROs simultaneously assumed the functions and responsibilities of their respective offices and started the mobilization and placement of personnel on skeletal forces, pursuant to the instruction under DENR Special Order No. 191 and 192, dated November 2, 1988 and was further supplemented by Provincial Memorandum Order No. 001-88 dated November 14, 1988 issued by the PENRO for effective guidance of personnel. The Provincial Accounting System including the Budget Unit was fully operating on October 1989.

PENRO IN 1990's

In 1995, under the incumbency of PENRO Teodulo J. Ragudo, the PENR office was renovated.

In 1997, under the incumbency of OIC-PENRO Arthur B. Serna, Records Room was constructed. He also initiated and workout for the construction of PENRO Guest House and Garage and provided the office with a centralized aircondition rooms.

In 1998, PENRO Arnulfo Z. Hernandez continued the construction and general repainting of the Guest House and Garage and its inauguration. Varnishing of all office double walling, change of electric wiring , installation of sign boards of different sectors and the construction of the Office Nursery.

PENRO 2000 TO PRESENT

In the year 2000, A&A Realty Development Enterprise Inc. donated 3 lots to DENR-PENRO. RED Vicente S. Paragas of DENR-Region IV-B & PENRO Doterty B. Endangan, together with the staff and personnel of DENR-PENRO, acknowledged with profound gratitude the benevolence of the A&A Realty Development Enterprises, Inc. owned by Arturo & Alicia Arce Ignacio represented by Atty. Erlinda A.I. Espiritu for donating the 3 lots being presently occupied by the PENR office.

In 2000, PENRO Doterty Endangan renovated the office again. The front door was changed into tainted Analook door glass and PENR office was generally repaired & painted including installation and change of all electrical wirings. The conference room was also renovated with complete accessories.

Worth mentioning was during his incumbency that all donated lots in which the PENR office Building & the Guest House were all titled in favor of the DENR, although it was started by PENRO Hernandez it was materialized during his time.

In 2003, PENRO Danilo Querijero in his one (1) month stay was able to renovate the facade of the office building. He revived the Convocation Program every Monday and installed the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) of the PENRO. In the same year, PENRO Juan Dela Cruz had the major repair of the two (2) vehicles of the PENRO. It was in his time that the Macrosomatic Clonal Nursery Project located at Gloria, Or. Mindoro, an ERDS Project was established.

In 2008, PENRO Raymundo Crisostomo established the PENRO Nursery for the production of seedlings for tree planting activities undertaken by the different government offices & schools. He was able to initiate the renovation of the old comfort room of the office of the PENRO.

In 2012, PENRO Arthur B. Serna initiated the preparation of project proposals/plans & program of works for the Phase III (completion) of the rehabilitation/construction of the PENR Office building including one (1) Conference Room, Land Records Room & COA Office. PENRO Serna continuously improved the Clonal Extension Nursery at Bukal, Bongabong and had maintained/improved its facilities thru electrification and installation of water system (1 unit SWIS-drilled). PENRO Serna also enhanced the knowledge and efficiency of the PENRO staff and personnel through the conduct of convocation/short forum every Monday after the flag ceremony taking up the programs/ projects/activities to be undertaken by different sectors.

The first woman to take her seat as the PENR Officer of Oriental Mindoro, PENRO Mary June F. Maypa with lots of passion and dedication, continuously improved the office premises and facilities such as the PAWCZMS office, NGP/Pola Watershed Room, Briefing Room and the Stock Room. She also initiated the on-going landscaping of the PENR office façade.

 
Back to Top