Carlos Primo David has been selected by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr as undersecretary of the department of environment and natural resources (DENR), the office of the president announced on Tuesday.
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David now serves as the department’s chief of integrated environmental science, which coordinates the agency’s forestry, mining, biodiversity and land use bureaus, according to his office.
David’s parents are journalist and sociologist Randy David and the late Karina Constantino David, both prominent personalities in the struggle against Ferdinand E. Marcos, the president’s father. The late dictator ruled for nearly two decades until 1986, an era noted for human rights abuses, which saw the rise of activism and nationalism in the country.
A licensed geologist and professor of geology and environmental science at the University of the Philippines, David worked as a technical consultant to the secretary of DENR prior to his appointment.
His technical background would ensure “more science-based analysis in deciding on environmental policies and practices at the DENR”, noted the office of integrated environmental science.
David also served as executive director of the department of science and technology’s (DOST) Philippine Council for Industry, Engineering and Emerging Technology and Development, where he helped form policies and strategies in energy and technology sectors.
He was also officer-in-charge of the DOST’s Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and former chairperson of the Climate Change Commission’s National Panel of Technical Experts, which advises the commission on climate science, green technologies, and recommends best practices for vulnerable communities in adapting to natural disasters.
