JDV seeks Finland aid for RP reforestation

Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. has sought the help of Finland in the reforestation of millions of hectares of badly denuded forest lands in the country.

He made the plea in talks with Finnish officials in Helsinki, where he and his delegation proceeded after a trip to Moscow.

De Venecia said Finland, which has vast experience in forest management, can help the Philippines reforest its logged-over mountains even only on a smaller scale.

He said the reforestation program would help address the country’s major problems of flooding and soil erosion, and help supply forest products that the Philippines currently imports from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

It would also create job opportunities and a new breed of entrepreneurs in the countryside, he said.

The Speaker proposed a $75 million financing package from Finland for an initial replanting program.

Finnish officials led by Sirkka-Liisa Anttila, first deputy speaker, expressed support for De Venecia’s proposal.

De Venecia and his delegation that included Representatives Roque Ablan Jr. of Ilocos Norte, Raul del Mar of Cebu City, and Teodoro Locsin Jr. of Makati later visited two of Finland’s forest management projects outside Helsinki.

The Speaker said he was impressed by how Finland carries out a program of sustainable and profitable management and protection of its forests.

Many of these projects are run by state corporations, he said.

Finland is already involved in a forest rehabilitation program here. Together with New Zealand, it is assisting a local corporation reforest and manage more than 100,000 hectares of logged-over mountains in the Agusan provinces under a co-production agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

De Venecia and his group are expected to be back in Manila by this weekend. They left the country two weeks ago before the controversy on the resignation of Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. as secretary of foreign affairs erupted.

The Speaker co-chairs the ruling Lakas-NUCD with President Arroyo. Guingona serves as president of the party. – Jess Diaz