NOGRALES – Communities should be empowered to ensure success of gov’t reforestation program

“If we are to ensure that the government’s reforestation program succeeds, we should empower our communities so they can be stewards who will help take care of the forest and environment.”

This was what Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles suggested, as he noted that the government does not have enough manpower to tend the areas reforested under the administration’s flagship greening program, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Forests for Life: Five Million Trees by 2028. The programs aims to restore critical forest ecosystems in Ilocos Norte, Bataan, Rizal, Leyte, Bukidnon, and Lanao del Norte.

“We have to think about the program’s continuity. What happens after the government and private sector partners have planted the seedlings? We still have to ensure that these will survive and grow into actual trees, and only then can we call the program a real success,” the lawmaker said. “As it is, we already have manpower challenges. Sa bilang ng foresters at forest rangers pa lang, kapos na kapos na tayo,” he added.

Data from the Society of Philippines Foresters (SPF) show that as of 2021, the country had only around 14,000 registered foresters ­for approximately 7.2 million hectares of forest area, which equates to one licensed forester for every 514 hectares. Based on the 2022 Philippine Forestry Statistics, there are only 7.22 million hectares or 24.07 percent of the country’s land mass left of forest cover in the country. This is a drastic decline from 17.8 million hectares worth of forest cover in 1934, which has spurred the government to embark on its regreening program. Nograles also urged the DENR to carefully study the program’s implementation to ensure it does not fail like the regreening efforts of past administrations.

“We have to be targeted and systematic in our approach, and carefully study why the regreening efforts of past administrations have failed so we do not repeat the same mistakes,” he said. For Rizal province’s part, Nograles meanwhile said that he plans to continue engaging the participation of youth volunteers to help in the Forests for Life program. “We have already started in recent years by planting bamboo trees along Wawa Dam. Definitely we will attempt to expand our efforts by helping in mapping efforts, including other indigenous trees, and enlisting more people to become forest stewards. Buong komunidad dapat ang kasama ng pamahalaan sa programang ito,” said the lawmaker.