JICA, DENR review forestland management

ILOILO CITY — The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are reviewing the Forestland Management Project (FMP) in Iloilo province.

DENR Western Visayas Director Jim Sampulna said the midterm review covers the sixth year of implementation of the 10-year project that aims to strengthen forestland management in three critical river basins, one them the Jalaur River Basin.

The FMP, funded with a loan from JICA, covers 11,527 hectares of forestland spanning the central Iloilo towns of Calinog, Janiuay and Lambunao, all of which run along the Jalaur River.

DENR Iloilo Chief Raul Lorilla said the FMP is applying strategies of Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) that integrate conservation and development-oriented activities by providing livelihood to 20 local groups.

Forester Antonio Latoza said the FMP has so far established 8,062.43 hectares of plantations with an average of 92 percent survival rate.

Sampulna also said the mountainous areas of the three towns were previously prone to landslides due to illegal cutting of trees. The incidents were minimized by FMP.

“This project has been a big help to our upland communities in providing viable economic livelihood while making them advocates for environmental protection and conservation,” Sampulna said.