Hon. Juan Romeo Nereus Olaivar Acosta, popularly known as Teacher Neric Acosta, is the new General Manager of Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA). The former three-term congressman from Bukidnon was appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III as Presidential Adviser for Environment and as member of the board of LLDA last September 19, 2011.
Because of the involvement and being the author of some environmental laws, like Clean Air Act of 1999 (RA 8749), Clean Water Act of 2004 (RA 9275), Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (RA 9003) and Biodiversity Protection Act, LLDA with their new General manager is looking forward for a better and overwhelming leadership to govern the biggest lake in the whole Asia.
October 5, 2011 at Barangay Bangyas, Calauan, Laguna LLDA facility, a lot of staunch environmentalist, NGO’s and Local Public officials came together to show their support and their programs with a PowerPoint presentations and discussed also some problems they encountered and on how they could implement some existing laws to their respective Barangays . Speakers and participants includes Dr. Robert Ranola (Vice Chancellor from University of the Philippines Los Banos), Bert Guevarra (Chairman of Earth Day Network Philippines), Lenn Berroya (Mother Earth Philippines), June Yasol (City Alternative Energy Consultant), Grace Bondad- Nicolas (Founder of Do It Right advocacy), Dr. Metodio Palaypay and Luz Sabas (Zero Waste Recycling Movement of the Philippines, Inc), Annie Guererro (Center for Culinary Arts Manila), Dr. Nina Galang (Green Convergence), Ofelia Panganiban (Zero Waste Philippines), Dr. Bam Razafindrabe (RHIN), Mayor Feliza Berris (Calauan, Laguna), Philippine Information Agency 4A (PIA) and Local government officials among others.
LLDA Calauan has 32 Hectares of land and only 6 hectares of it is productive. The remaining idle lot is open for those interested to cultivate it and which only needs a letter of intent address to the new General Manager for evaluation.
As an environmentalist, Secretary Acosta has many to offer and perfect to govern because of his background, he graduated college from the University of the Philippines, his master’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and later on pursued doctorate at the University of Hawaii. He also attended special programs on Environmental Economics at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and he later became the first Filipino World Fellow at Yale University.
He shares the E’s to make the program successful for LLDA and communities surrounding the Laguna Lake such as Empowerment, Example, Enforcement and Engineering.
For years, he has worked with the academe as professor in various prominent universities in the country such as the Asian Institute of Management, and as environment advocate in non-government organizations. He went on to become a member of congress in 1998 where he pushed legislation for greater environment protection in the Philippines.
“Loving the Lake requires Demanding Action” he said to his speech; he also mentioned one of the battle cries of the Aquino administration: “Tuwid na Daan sa Berdeng Paraan” but to that event at Calauan his phrase that he wanted everyone to remember are “ Tuwid na daan, sa luntiang paraan.” Secretary Acista said also that this event is just the “Kick off” and that with his remaining tenure as the General Manager of LLDA, he will do his best to make the phrase happen. With an impressive academic background and remarkable experience in governance, Secretary Neric Acosta is perfect to govern over the country’s largest lake.
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