Yearender: DENR colors Phl ‘green’

MANILA, Philippines – The early part of the year saw the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in full gear in its campaign to color the country green through tree planting.

The DENR immediately released the guidelines for the government’s “National Greening Program” (NGP) which seeks to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares nationwide in six years, starting in 2011 until 2016.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje issued DENR Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2011-01, providing the mechanics and specific targets of the National Greening Program.

Earlier, President Aquino issued Executive Order 26 directing the DENR to lead in the implementation of the NGP.

“The guidelines were crafted in such manner as to ensure that all greening activities, whether by the government, local government units or by the private sector, will contribute to the objectives of the program like poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation,” Paje said.

Of the 1.5 million hectares targeted for reforestation under the NGP, Paje said that a total of 100,000 hectares were targeted for this year alone.

“We started this year with at least 100,000 hectares of new plantations. This will be increased to 250,000 hectares next year, and further increased in the years ahead until we meet the programmed target as directed by President Aquino.”

Paje noted that there are about eight million hectares of denuded areas nationwide.

The target areas for reforestation include 60,000 hectares within community-managed forestlands such as mangroves and coastal areas; 20,000 hectares within protected areas; 20,000 hectares in ancestral domain areas; and 10,000 hectares in other areas specifically described in EO 26, such as civil and military reservations, urban areas identified by local government units, riverbanks and stream banks, and inactive and abandoned mines.

Forest tree species identified for planting in the uplands include dipterocarps, narra and other premium and indigenous species, as well as fast-growing species such as mahogany, gmelina, bagras, acacia and rubber. Bamboos and mangrove species shall also be tapped as reforestation crops particularly in riverbanks and coastal areas. “This will control soil erosion and act as buffer against wave action,” Paje pointed out.

Apart from forest tree species, fruit-bearing trees will also be allowed to be planted under the program, such as mango, coffee, cacao, cashew, guyabano, and others.

Paje said that under MC 2011-01, DENR field offices should make sure there are stakeholders living in areas placed under NGP activities.

“This addresses the gap in many reforestation schemes that seedlings die within the immediate period because they were planted in areas where there are no stakeholders to tend to them and would directly benefit from the trees,” Paje said.

MC 2011-11 sets the July to December period as planting season “following the respective climatic types, planting calendars of forest and fruit trees species and prevailing and forecasted weather conditions by the weather bureau, for higher survival of the planted seedlings.”

Aquino led the NGP’s official launch at the DENR central office in Quezon City last May 13.

Paje also recently sought the help of the Commission on Audit (COA) for the audit of some 1.5 billion tree seedlings that would be produced and planted in 1.5 million hectares under the program.

He said that a letter had already been sent to COA chairperson Ma. Gracia Pulido Tan “requesting COA to give regular audit priority and attention to (NGP)” to ascertain accuracy of field reports, with particular focus on the financial statements on the seedlings’ production and distribution.

DENR field officers are now required to first appear before a notary public attorney to swear on the correctness of their accomplishment reports before submitting them to the DENR’s head office in Quezon City.

Paje ordered the notarization of all reports submitted by his 16 DENR regional executive directors and other DENR field officers playing key roles in the implementation of the NGP in an apparent move to remove doubts on the veracity of NGP reports submitted to his office.

It was also early this year when Paje directed all regional directors of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to refrain from accepting and processing new mining applications nationwide.

The DENR chief issued the directive as part of the ongoing cleansing of pending and inactive mining projects nationwide by the mines bureau.

“As we take on the task of cleansing our regional offices of ageing mining applications and inactive mining projects, I have also directed our MGB officials to refrain from accepting and processing new applications for mining permits, such as exploration permit, mineral production sharing agreement, financial or technical assistance, including industrial sand and gravel permit,” Paje said.

Records from the MGB showed 2,180 pending mining applications filed in various MGB regional offices.

Aside from pending mining applications, exploration contracts that have already expired for five years or more, and mining contracts whose three-year work programs have not been implemented for two consecutive years are also subject of final action, Paje said.

He stressed that the suspension in the issuance of new mining permits is part of the reforms in the mining sector.

“We are now in the process of implementing our ‘use it or lose it policy’, where we will be canceling mining applications that were unable to comply with all the requirements set by the government, including mining tenements that have remained inactive and unproductive through the years,” he said.

Paje likewise directed the MGB to intensify environment and safety measures in mining operations throughout the country to minimize, if not prevent, mining accidents.

The order was issued in the wake of reports of rain-triggered landslides burying a mountain village in Tampakan town in South Cotabato last April 22. Three small-scale miners were reportedly trapped in the mine tunnels that collapsed as a result of the landslides.

Reports said the victims were involved in sluice mining or banlas. Sluice mining is a method of mining that involves pouring of large amounts of water to wash off the mountain’s surface and expose the rocks that contain the gold ore to be extracted.

Wildlife protection

Last Sept. 3, a 20.1-ft long saltwater crocodile was captured in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur through the combined efforts of local government officials and members of the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. The crocodile, which has since been named “Lolong,” is considered the biggest in captivity.

“Our conservation effort should not end with the capture of Lolong. While its capture comes as a big relief to residents, some of whom may have experienced crocodile attacks in the past, we also have to take a look at the situation on how we could harmonize or promote the coexistence of the people and the crocodiles and other wildlife in the Agusan Marsh,” he said.

Lolong had been an object of a hunt in the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary for the past two years, said Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) Director Mundita Lim. “In fact, an enclosure has been put up for the crocodile by the local government in response to the reported killing of a 12-year old girl in March 2009.”

The Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, which had served as Lolong’s natural habitat until its capture, is a protected area by virtue of Proclamation 913 issued on Oct. 31, 1996.

The PAWB director said the Agusan Marsh is considered the most ecologically significant wetland protected area in the country, hence its inclusion in the list of Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention.

“PAWB is now evaluating a proposal to undertake a survey of crocodile population in Agusan Marsh. One particular objective of the survey is to find out if there are still ‘nuisance’ crocodiles in the area so that the DENR, in coordination with the LGU and other support organizations, could come up with a better management alternative,” Paje said.

Lolong, kept in a cage in Barangay Consuelo, is continuously being monitored by the local government and staff of the DENR.

The DENR was also elated by news of the inclusion on Nov. 11 of the Puerto Princesa Underground River in the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Paje called the inclusion of the Underground River – after text voting – a “collective accomplishment of Filipinos all over the world.” He said the joint government-private sector effort to drum up support for the Underground River is something “we can all be proud of, and which we hope to nurture as a mass base of support for environmental causes.”

Paje said the New7 Wonders Foundation will make a final declaration early next year. He said the Underground River garnered at least 24 million votes. –Rhodina Villanueva (The Philippine Star)