Central Luzon forest rehab complete

The NGP has generated 228,592 jobs in the region from its plantation maintenance and protection activities

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced recently that it has completed the rehabilitation of at least 122,000 hectares of denuded forestlands and watersheds in Region 3 since 2011 via its Enhanced National Greening Program (E-NGP) from 2011.

DENR regional executive director Paquito Moreno Jr. disclosed that the E-NGP — the government’s flagship reforestation program — has been instrumental in the restoration of the region’s areas that were denuded.

“The agency has reinforced its efforts on increasing the survival rate of these plantation sites,” Moreno said.

The DENR regional director added that the survival rate of the plantation sites established by the agency is around 81 percent on average — a rate significantly affected by natural occurrences such as forest fire and extreme weather changes.

“Work limitations brought by the community quarantine restrictions have affected regular operations and activities for E-NGP,” Moreno said.

To date, the DENR has also completed the establishment another 300-hectare bamboo plantation in Bulacan during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic which is an additional forest cover in the Angat-Ipo-Maasim River Watershed.

The agency also finished the 14,000-hectare bamboo plantations since 2011 under NGP.

“We have also strengthened our partnerships with private stakeholders to achieve a higher survival rate in these plantations. We currently have 62 unfunded NGP areas have already been adopted by different organizations,” said Moreno.

He added that the DENR has also partnered with Peoples’ Organizations, Philippine National Police and Philippine Army to monitor the development of plantations and facilitate quick response and reporting of illegal forest activities in NGP areas.

Apart from its ecological value, NGP has generated 228,592 jobs in the region from its plantation maintenance and protection activities as it also aims to reforest 1.5 million hectares of denuded forestlands and watersheds in the country.

It was expanded until 2028 under Executive Order 193 to reforest and develop remaining degraded forest areas in the country.