Songs have a way of driving messages deep into the minds of people. And newly appointed Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Eleazar "Eli" P. Quinto intends to wield this power of music to strengthen the Filipino people's resolve to care for the environment.

Quinto, 52, brings a well-rounded outlook unto his leadership of the DENR with acting, marketing and political dynamics skills. He intends to mount a songwriting competition within the advocacy programs initiated by the DENR to drum up the cause for the environment.

Quinto assumed office with the resignation of former Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. who will run for Manila mayor again in the May 10 elections.

The songwriting contest dubbed "Likhang Awit Para sa Kalikasan" hopes to bring to fever pitch the citizenry's passion for environment sustainability, Quinto said in a recent press conference.

A Marcos detainee and builder of the Liberal Party youth sector in the late 80s, Quinto joined the department as undersecretary for field operations on August 2007 and headed the Philippine Forest Corporation in February 2008.

He viewed as a vital task the capacity building of all DENR personnel to enable them to be "practicing environmentalists or green multipliers." He said he intends to push more training and motivational programs and couple these with incentives and merit systems to encourage active participation.

Art forms will be among his vehicles, he said, as theater and choral groups from the DENR will join stakeholders' programs to raise the levels of awareness in favor of environment sustainability.

He believes that the DENR programs all over the country stand to gain more speed and efficacy with empowered personnel."It is important to maximize the potential of every employee of the DENR," he stated.

Born to teachers in Palawan, he was raised in Dagupan City in Pangasinan where he finished elementary and high school. He earned his AB Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at the Ateneo de Manila where he also continued his law studies up to third year.

A student leader and an eloquent public speaker, Quinto appeared and directed several stage plays in college as a member of the Philippine Educational Theater Association and was involved in the forming of "Teatro Obrero" for students and workers.

After a short acting and freelance production stint from 1977 to 1991, he focused on political machinery building, working with the Senate office of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona as head executive assistant and later with Sen. Nikki Coseteng as chief of staff. He was consultant on political affairs to Atienza as mayor from 1999 to 2007.

Politics may well be said to be a major calling, manifesting itself even in his personal life. He is married to Verena Aquino Concio, daughter of Lupita Concio-Kashiwahara.

Quinto said he is banking on his many years within the agency with particular focus on employment generation. Programs on stream include reforestation and upland development, continued streamlining of permit issuance producers, and geo-hazard mapping in line with disaster preparedness.