DENR allots P4.9 billion for reforestation in 2012

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has earmarked P4.9 billion in its proposed budget for 2012 for the reforestation program.

The amount represents around 29 percent of the total proposed budget of the DENR for next year.

Sen. Franklin Drilon, chairman of the Senate committee on finance, said the agency is eyeing to plant a total of 77 million trees in 1.5 million hectares of denuded forestlands in a six-year period.

For 2012, the reforestation program will cover 150,000 hectares with a target of 77 million trees planted.

“This is the second year of the six-year national greening program of the DENR and is the biggest reforestation program in our history,” Drilon said.

“The goal is to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares for the next six years. That is about 28 percent more trees than what was planted for the past 50 years,” he added.

Drilon said eight million hectares of the country’s total 15.8 million hectares of forestlands are totally denuded.

In order to ensure that the government’s reforestation program is on track and the funds are being used properly, Drilon said the DENR was required to submit aerial photos of the denuded and reforested lands to Congress every year.

“On a yearly basis, we will now check the progress. For example, the DENR will submit to us where the 150,000 hectares to be planted with 77 million trees are located and the nurseries where these 77 million trees will be sourced,” he said.

“We will have all these data in our data bank so that on a yearly basis, we will check with the DENR how far they have gone,” he added. –Marvin Sy The Philippine Star