DBP Forest project launched in Masbate

MANILA, Philippines - State-owned Development Bank of the Phillippines (DBP) recently launched a 100-hectare reforestation project in Mandaon, Masbate under its DBP Forest program.

The DBP Forest program is a non-credit program that aims to stop denudation and restore the country’s forest cover through organized collaboration with government and non-government organizations, state universities and colleges, people’s organizations and other qualified forest partners.

This is the 39th DBP Forest project launched by the bank since 2005.

DBP is partnering with the Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa, Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT) for this project which involves the rehabilitation of the Mabigo watershed. 

The said watershed supports downstream areas and serves as a source of water for adjoining barangays.

Sixty hectares will be planted with exotic trees like mahogany and acacia while the remaining area will be planted with indigenous forest trees like narra, dao and molave. Aside from hastening the rehabilitation of the watershed, the project is expected to provide employment to DEBESMSCAT graduates and enhance agricultural production through improved water supply in the area.

The DBP Forest project now covers 6,555 hectares with more than 4,300 hectares planted.  Some of these DBP Forest projects are located in Cagayan, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac, Bulacan, Bataan, Palawan, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Iloilo, Leyte, Northern Samar, Leyte, Agusan del Norte, and Saranggani.