DENR7 Reg’l Director Appointed to Usec for Luzon, Visayas

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Regina Paz Lopez appointed the regional director for Central Visayas Isabelo Montejo as the new DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations for Luzon and Visayas areas.

This developed after Secretary Lopez issued Special Order Number 2016- 471 on August 3 designating Montejo, a forester and the DENR 7 regional director for four years, as the new USEC for Field Operations for Luzon and Visayas.

Montejo is a holder of a doctorate degree in Management in Public Administration in 1997 and a master’s degree in Business Administration in 1995, both at the University of the Visayas (UV).

He earned his BS in Forestry at the Visayas State College of Agriculture, now Visayas State University (VSU) in 1982.

He rose from the ranks from a forester in 1983 to Regional Technical Director for Forestry, and became the Regional Director for Central Visayas from June 2012 up to the present.

As stipulated in the special order, Montejo is directed to supervise operations of all regional offices of the department in Luzon and Visayas.

Serving four years as the DENR 7 regional director and 33 years of service in the department, Montejo expressed his optimism to deliver all targets in the field operations in Luzon and Visayas.

He also urged all the regional directors under his leadership to support him and share the same commitment, love and passion in ensuring a balance and just implementation of environment programs.

“We will make a difference and I need all of you to support me so that we can all deliver our tasks on time with effectivity and efficiency,” he said.

Montejo also emphasized the priority programs of DENR as espoused by Secretary Lopez, namely, (1) Enhanced NGP (2) Laguna Lake Development Program (3) Enhanced Biodiversity Conservation Program (4) Upscaled Coastal Marine Ecosystem (5) Improved Land Administration and Management Program (6) Research and Development Program (7) Intensified Environmental Protection Program.

At the age of 35, Montejo was installed as the first Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Officer in Cebu City until May 1989.

After one year as a CENRO Cebu City, he transferred to lead CENR Office in Argao, Cebu in 1989.

He rose from CENRO to Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENR) Officer with assignment at PENRO Agusan del Norte and after several months he transferred as PENR Officer in Bohol.

He moved up to the position as Assistant Regional Executive Director for Technical Services in January 2000 to November 2002.

In November 2002, he was appointed as Director III and served as DENR 7 Regional Technical Director for Protected Area, Wildlife, Coastal Zone Management Services (PAWCZMS) and Forest Management Services (FMS) until June 2012. In June 2012,

Montejo took oath as DENR 7 Regional Executive Director. (jsme/PIA7-Cebu with DENR7 report)