DENR fuel consumption down by 50% - Atienza

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was able to cut down their fuel consumption by almost 50 percent due to the strict implementation of the rules on the use of official transport services by its personnel. Environment Secretary Lito Atienza on Thursday said this is their contribution to the government campaign to conserve fuel in the wake of the skyrocketing prices of oil in the world market. "We follow strict implementation of rules. There were no unnecessary trips, and no unnecessary withdrawal of official vehicles. There was a highly controlled withdrawal from official gasoline that's why we were able to cut our gasoline consumption," he said. According to Atienza, the DENR's gasoline consumption from September 2006 to February 2007 was recorded at more or less P400,000. However, this was reduced to around P260,000 from September 2007 to February 2008, or since he assumed stewardship of the agency in August 2007. Atienza stressed that the DENR, under his helm, has been pursuing energy conservation efforts even before Malacanang announced its plan to revive the national energy efficiency and conservation program. The Environment chief also said they are “100 percent” supportive of the Arroyo administration’s plan to revive its 2005 national energy efficiency and conservation program, which includes reduction of fuel and power consumptions, amidst rising prices of fuel and other petroleum products in the country. "Being the lead agency in the promotion of environment protection and conservation, we should set an example on how we could efficiently tap alternative sources of energy as well as on how we could effectively use our resources," Atienza said. - GMANews.TV