News have it that come May or June, the end of the one-year ban for the candidates who lost in last year’s elections to assume a government position,  a friend, former Bukidnon congressman and professor Nerius “Neric” Acosta who ran for senator will replace Acting Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje.

Aside from “Teacher Neric,” the monicker he used during the last presidential campaign, two other names are being floated to take on the environment and natural resources post. Well, as the cliché goes, it’s anybody’s ball game!

However, leading the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is not a basketball game, wherein players and teams compete with each other for the sake of their team or to enhance their own individual career. Neither should a cabinet position such as that of the DENR secretary be a political landing area after the ban.

DENR’s mandate, and that of the government, in fact, is to protect the environment, and this is no ballgame, especially in this increasingly critical time of global warming and climate change.

Last Friday, I had a chance to go around the department after a meeting I was going to attend was cancelled without earlier notice, and I was able to talk to at least 15 DENR employees who do not want me to mention their names, for obvious reasons.

“Nakakapagod na! Bawat presidente may kanya-kanyang manok. Mula pa kay Pangulong Cory hanggang kay Pangulong Gloria, ilang secretary na ang dinala dito sa ‘min!. Sangkatutak na! Papalit-palit! Kanya-kanya sila ng istilo! Nakakahilo! Paiba-iba ng patakaran at approach sa management!”  This was from a female employee who I suppose is in her mid- or late-50s.

“Ang problema pa, bawat secretary na ilagay dito sa DENR, may kanya-kanya ring bitbit na bata nila na pampalit sa mga dinatnan o mga co-terminus na employees. Kung ordinaryong empleyadong tulad ko, panibagong pakikisama na naman ang gagawin namin sa mga init ng ulo at mga sumpong ng mga bagong istranghero ng bagong “Sec,” said Mang Tony (not his real name) who still has three years of service before retiring.

“Well, it’s the call of the president. Whoever he wants to place as his or her alter ego in the Department is his or her decision. In my several years of experience in the Department, the problem was that when the new secretary was perceived to be corrupt or was just using the office for launching another political career, the employees were put in a dilemma. When a secretary landed in the front page of the newspapers, employees were dragged into the controversy!” said a middle management employee.

I remember during the term of President Arroyo, ( I won’t mention who the secretary was then) I got a text message telling me that the texter’s  group wanted to meet with me in person and give me some documents so I would know what is really happening in the department. I presumed they texted me because I am a media person. It took me two days to text back for precaution. I asked the texter what his or her name was. There was no reply. I texted thrice but I still did not get any reply. I rang the number, but got no answer.

“Hindi dapat pambayad-utang o pangregalo ang position ng secretary ng isang departamento. Being an environment and natural resources secretary entails a gargantuan responsibility. Kung magpapa-pogi lang, kung puro press release lang, walang responsibility na pinag-uusapan do’n. Kaya ayaw na namin sa pulitiko. Puro pulitiko na ang mga nakaraang secretary, wala ring nangyari! Allegations of corruption left and right! Pagpasok sa department ‘kala mo kung sinong mababait. Ilang buwan lang, ayun, binabatikos na sa dyaryo!” bewailed an old, female employee---who was with four other officemates who agreed with her.

“Kaming mga empleyado at ang pinagsisilbihan naming mamamayang Pilipino at kalikasan ang kawawa!” added one of the four.

President Noynoy Aquino should carefully study whatever decision he will make in these coming months after the lifting of the ban for political appointees, not only with regard to DENR but with other departments and agencies as well. Surely, there may be a long list of “bright boys” who can be fielded in any position. We have seen bright, well- educated past presidents and secretaries of our country but where is our country now?

The DENR helmsman should only be accountable to the Filipino people and not to anybody else. Not even to his political party or to any religious affiliation.

Protecting Inang Kalikasan should be the environment and natural resources secretary’s foremost concern and preoccupation. Nothing else. ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )