ENHI honors 4 fallen environmental heroes, gives cash aid to surviving families

The Environmental Heroes Foundation, Inc. (ENFI) on Friday honored four fallen workers who were committed to protect the environment and natural resources until the very end.

During the 3rd Awarding Ceremony held on Earth Day, the ENFI remembered Ronaldo Corpuz, Gaudencio Araña Jr., Bienvenido Vaguilla Jr., and Miliarete Panaligan and their heroic contributions.

Corpuz was a forest ranger based in Nueva Ecija. In October 2019, he conducted surveillance that resulted to the apprehension individuals poaching lumber. Later, he was shot dead in front of his house.

Araña was an informant for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who collected information about illegal activities in Patnabangan, Nueva Ecija. Two men gunned him down near his home in September 2019.

Vaguilla was a ranger based in Taytay, Palawan. He was traveling from El Nido to Taytay after an inspection in September 2019 when he heard the sounds of a chainsaw operation. He and his team apprehended the illegal loggers and confiscated their materials. However, they were cornered by the assailants. While Vaguilla's colleagues were able to escape, he was stabbed and hacked to death with bolos.

Lastly, Panaligan was a community environment and natural resources officer in Quezon, known for her and her department's high number of apprehension cases for illegal logging. In 2017, she was clocking in seven to eight apprehensions per month. She contracted cancer and succumbed to a heart attack in 2018.

These brave "DENR warriors" were officially declared Environmental Heroes by the ENFI Board of Trustees, chaired by retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

The criteria considered by the Board are as follows: the hero must have lost his or her life or was rendered permanently disabled on the job; any other person who have shown exemplary bravery and commitment to the protection of the environment and natural resources; the consistency of their track record in protecting the environment and/or faithfully serving the government; they must not have previously charge or conviction of any crime.

The families of the new Environmental Heroes are to receive a cash aid of P100,000 per year for the next three years for a total of P300,000 each.

During his speech, Puno honored the heroes for protecting the environment with their lives.

"Sila po ang nabuwis ng kanilang buhay para itaguyod, proteksyunan and ating kalikasan para sa ating ikabubuhay," he said.

"Be rest assured that the Environmental Foundation will tell and retell your heroic efforts for these are the narratives that we'll provide during values for the foundation of a future that will last," he added. —JCB, GMA News