WB, DENR execs assess greening program in Caraga

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Officials of the World Bank (WB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) visited the Caraga region the other day to assess the government’s greening program there.

At least 71 private organizations in the region are taking part in the National Greening Program (NGP) and have declared interest in seeking funding support for seedling production from the national government.

To support the production of more than four million seedlings of mangrove and other forest trees species, the government will apply for a P40.56-million loan from the WB under the National Program Support to Environment and Natural Resources Sector Investment.

The visiting officials were headed by WB consultant Doug Furno, and DENR executives Isabel Salas, foreign-assisted and special project officer; Aisha de Guzman, forester; Noel Sta. Ines, senior procurement specialist; Conrad Bravante Jr., project evaluation officer, and Connie Cunanan, administrative assistant.

DENR regional executive director Nonito Tamayo briefed the officials on the status of the NGP’s implementation in the Caraga region.

The WB and DENR officials then went to the community environment and natural resources office in Tubay town to see the WB-funded nursery project of the San Antonio Integrated Farmers and Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Barangay San Antonio.

Yesterday, the group was set to visit the NGP site in Barangay E. Morgado, Santiago town, and today, in Barangay Sangay, Buenavista town, both in Agusan del Norte.

In the 1990s, Barangay E. Morgado was a beneficiary of a foreign-assisted tree-planting project. The fund was all spent but the project was not reportedly completed due to alleged corruption.

Some sectors are questioning why the village managed to take part in the NGP again, as they noted that a large portion of the area is now a mining site.