MANILA, Philippines - At least P4.99 billion has been released to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the continued implementation of the National Greening Program, which aims to plant 1.5 billion trees nationwide by 2016.
The program aims to cover approximately 300,000 hectares annually from this year to 2016.
The fund releases, taken from this year’s budget, will support actual seedling and planting activities for the year, as well as site maintenance and protection of planting areas established in previous years.
“Our funding support for the National Greening Program is well-timed, as the season’s regular rainfall will allow seedlings to grow faster. This year, DENR’s tree-planting efforts focus on areas with high poverty levels, as well as regions that are susceptible to natural disasters,†Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said.
Abad said the Aquino administration is looking at all viable solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change.
He said they are taking active steps to implement their disaster risk management programs.
The program has exceeded its annual area of coverage targets by an average of 20 percent for the first three years of implementation.
Last year, it exceeded its annual target by 33,011 hectares. More than 1.8 million seedlings were planted in 333,160 hectares nationwide.
The planting program has generated 1.2 million jobs in different regions since 2011. Last year, close to half a million workers were hired, the highest number recorded since the program began.
“Aside from mitigating the effects of climate change, the program provides livelihood opportunities to local residents. Our efforts to protect our environment go hand-in-hand with our commitment to protect and improve the living conditions of our people, besides catalyzing economic growth in agriculture-based communities,†Abad said.
Of the P4.99 billion, Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) received the highest allocation amounting to P384.8 million for the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Sur and Sibugay.
This is followed closely by Region 4-A with P379.3 million for the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Quezon and Rizal.
Central Luzon – which includes the provinces of Aurora, Pampanga and Zambales – got P366.7 million.