“Caring for creation is caring for people. It is a collective responsibility”: VG Odiem urges Kalinga public servants to protect environment

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Protecting the environment should be an integral part of public service because the natural resources preserved today directly sustain communities and future generations, Vice Governor Atty. Dave Q. Odiem said during the 126th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary (PCSA) celebration and the launching of Kalinga’s first Provincial Season of Creation on September 7.

Odiem made the call as the province began its month-long observance aimed at raising awareness among government officials, employees and communities on sustainable living, climate action and collective responsibility for environmental protection.

He said public servants should look beyond their routine office functions and recognize that government decisions and actions can have lasting effects on the environment.

“Every decision we make, whether from infrastructure projects, to waste management, to procurement, it has an impact on the world around us,” Odiem said.

Public service and environmental responsibility

Odiem emphasized that government workers are not only implementers of programs and policies but also stewards of the communities and natural resources that people depend on.

He called on public officials, civil servants and communities to share responsibility in protecting Kalinga’s environment.

“Kalinga is a land blessed with extraordinary natural beauty of our rivers, our mountains and our forests. They are the very source of life for our communities,” he said.

He stressed that environmental protection should not be confined to a yearly celebration or discussions about conservation.

Instead, he urged government offices and communities to translate environmental awareness into daily practices, responsible decisions and concrete actions.

‘Caring for creation is caring for people’

Odiem further encouraged public servants to include environmental considerations in the performance of their duties and in the delivery of government services.

“The Season of Creation is a call for us to look beyond our daily office routines and commit to include environment care as part of public service. Because caring for creation is caring for people,” he said.

The province’s Season of Creation was institutionalized through Provincial Ordinance No. 2025-027, authored and sponsored by Board Member Camilo T. Lammawin Jr., chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Energy.

Lammawin echoed the call for government offices, communities and every iKalinga to move beyond statements and commitments and turn environmental responsibility into sustained action.

He said the observance provides an opportunity for provincial and municipal governments, national agencies, institutions and communities to work together in protecting Kalinga’s forests, rivers, wildlife and other natural resources.

The month-long observance underscores the province’s continuing efforts to promote environmental stewardship while reminding public servants that protecting natural resources is ultimately about protecting the people and communities they serve.