The ever-charming Assistant Director of the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), For Mayumi Quintos-Natividad retired from the government service on March 6, 2023 at the age of 62,

For. Natividad finished primary school at the San Antonio Elementary School from 1967-1973; secondary school in Saint Augustine Academy from 1973-1977 both in Bay, Laguna. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Forestry at the University of the Philippines, College of Forestry and Natural Resources (UPLB-CFNR), Los Baños, Laguna in 1981 and had her Diploma in Science and Master of Science in Forestry at the Australian National University in 1988 and 1999, respectively.

For. Natividad is a Forester by profession and devoted almost 42 years to  government service. She joined the Bureau of Forest Development (BFD) now known as the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) as a Casual employee (1981-1984) and was designated as the Project Development Evaluator Desk Officer and head of the project management staff of BFD handling locally-funded forestry projects.  She also handled the ASEAN forestry projects and activities. She was regularized as Senior Forester from 1984 to 1987, and promoted as Senior Forest Management Specialist from 1987 to 1992. After a year, she was promoted again as the Supervising Management Specialist and eventually became Chief Forest Management Specialist in 1995. She handled special designations in FMB such as the Special Assistant to Director Cerilo B. Serna from 1989-1993 and provided technical assistance in forestry-related activities to  DENR Secretary Angel C. Alcala from 1993-1995. She also worked as a program coordinator of the community forestry program of the DENR and was involved in the project titled “Environmental Resources Accounting Project (ENRAP)” funded by USAID in the Philippines.

She also handled the Forest Economics Division in FMB for more than 10 years. The said division is in-charge of the forest statistics and policies. She also spearheaded the development and implementation of the Forestry Information System. She has been very much involved with the forestry climate change activities of FMB particularly the REDD+ activities in the country.  She was a member of the team developed national REDD plus strategy and eventually became the Assistant Director of FMB in 2012.

By virtue of the Special-Order No. 2019-436 signed by the then Secretary Roy A. Cimatu in June 27, 2019, she was designated as the Assistant Director of the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB). It was in July 12, 2019 when ERDB welcomed her as the new Assistant Director of the bureau. She was happy during that day and said that she was finally home. She considered ERDB as her second home.

As the ERDB’s new Assistant Director, AD Yumi, as many calls her, is very charming and creates a motivating atmosphere in the office. AD Yumi is always on time. She never comes to meetings late because as she always tells the people that she respects other peoples’ time and she has a lot of things to attend to, thus every minute is important.

With this kind of attitude, she managed to handle different assignments and fulfilled her duties and responsibilities well. During her stay in the bureau, she handled the following: ERDB Technical review Committee, Sylvatrop Editorial Board (Editor-in-Chief), Bids and awards Committee (BAC), ERDB Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board (HRMPSB), ERDB Human Resource Development Committee (ERDB-HRDC), ERDB Committee on Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (ERDB-PRAISE), DENR QMS Internal Quality Audit Team (Lead Auditor), ERDB Sub-Change Management Team (CMT), Carrying Capacity Study Oversight Committee, ERDB Assets and Disposal Committee, ERDB Emergency Response Team (EERT), ERDB Committee on Publica Service Continuity Plan (PSCP), ERDB Committee on Anti-Corruption (CAC), K4/ERDB-EA-DENR/ERDB Consultative Committee, Technical Working Group for the Implementation of ERDB’s Plans and Programs in Relation to Climate Change, Committee on Decorum and Investigation on Sexual Harassment (CODI), Committee on Anti-Red Tape (CART), ERDB COVID-19 Prevention and Mitigation Team (Executive Adviser), and ERDB’s representative to the DENR Policy Technical Working Group.

For. Natividad has been a good leader and a public servant. She has served the government with great integrity and high degree of professionalism. ERDB is lucky to have a good leader exemplified by Forester Mayumi Quintos-Natividad. Marilou C. Villones, TTD

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