A total of 329 PCOs attended PCAPI7’s 5 batches of SMR Online Forum-Workshop scheduled last March 28, 29, 30 (at Golden Prince Hotel) and again on April 4, morning and afternoon sessions (at PEZA Conference Room). The forum-cum-workshop was organized to help pollution control officers (PCOs) know how to submit the PCO’s quarterly Self-Monitoring Report (SMR) online using the newly crafted SMR Online program of the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 7 (EMB-DENR7). The deadline for the submission of the first quarter SMR through the online system is on April 15, 2016.
SMR is the report prepared by PCOs on their companies operations focusing on those aspects with environmental impacts. This is submitted to EMB every quarter. Failure to submit SMR or even late submission of SMR carries a corresponding penalty meted out to the company by EMB.
The forum was facilitated by Engr. Meg Modequillo of the Enforcement and Monitoring Division of EMB7.
Gone are the days when PCOs can take SMR preparation and submission lightly, thinking there are just too many SMRs that can possibly be read or monitored by a handful of EMB7 personnel. This time the computer reads the SMRs and summarizes the data encoded to come up with an assessment of a company’s environmental performance. The computer can also churn up data and assessment of areas within the region that require serious monitoring by EMB7. They form the bases for environmental policies that need to be crafted to address certain environmental issues in that area or even for the whole region.
Initially, it may entail hard work and many mistakes on the part of PCOs before getting used to SMR submission online. But as pointed out by EMB7, this new process will save the company much resources in terms of paper, time (away from the company when submitting SMR personally to EMB7) and money (transportation and accommodation cost especially for companies located in other islands of the region). This SMR online system is exclusive to EMB7 for now. Soon it may be adopted in other regions in the country.
As PCOs, let’s keep an open mind and work with EMB7 on this new system. In the end, it may help realize what we have been aiming for a long time, a clean and healthier environment in region 7.
“Going paperless is one of the relevant objectives of companies these days hence online submission of quarterly reports was a smart move by the EMB. The SMR online workshop conducted last March 30, 2016 was an effective tool made available by both PCAPI-7 and EMB-7 to guide us PCOs in making and submitting our SMR online. The training outline particularly the workshop part provides adequate information for Pollution Control Officers to already start creating the SMR. Training materials which are also downloadable online were provided and the speaker was noticeably conversant on the subject matter being discussed thus making the training more effective. At the end of the session the training objectives were met based on the increasing number of Facilities registered and SMRs made online after each day of the training as shown in bar graphs prior to starting the actual session.
The only downside of this online submission is the internet traffic when making the SMR particularly in Module 2. The page frequently collapsed or the scripts will stop which unfortunately deletes all the inputs I had made. I understand that the system is new and still undergoing improvements and hopefully this will be addressed the soonest.Thank you and more power!” – feedback from Ms. Jeliza Ponce of Cebu Common Treatment Facilities Inc. (CCTFI) who is one of the participants in the seminar.
