DENR produces 1.37 M tree seedlings for NGP

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 1.37 million indigenous tree seedlings have been produced this year for the government’s National Greening Program (NGP), according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said the seedlings were produced in the agency’s clonal facilities nationwide being operated by Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau.

Paje said they signed an agreement with five state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Western Visayas for the nurseries that would produce at least 60,000 native tree seedlings per school, or 300,000 seedlings yearly for the government’s reforestation program.

Under the agreement, the DENR will construct clonal nurseries in every campus in the University of Antique in Sibalom town; Capiz State University in Roxas City; Western Visayas College of Science and Technology in La Paz, Iloilo City; Central Philippines State University in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental; and Guimaras State College in Buenavista City.

“Our plan is to establish a kind of national grid for production of cloned NGP seedlings and that grid is now almost complete with the entry of five new participating SUCs,” Paje said.

He said the method produces tree seedlings that are genetically identical to their parent-tree on a year round basis, making it far more efficient and faster than the conventional method which makes use of seeds from fruits.