DENR prioritizing reforestation of 2M hectares of forest lands

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo Loyzaga said Tuesday that the agency is prioritizing two million hectares of forest lands in its reforestation program.

"In terms of our own targets sa DENR, we want to do two million hectares as a priority. Ang one million na pong iyan have been mapped adequately and we can actually already show this to local decision-makers as well as private sector, community-based forestry and management groups to say dito po sana ang priority natin," Loyzaga said at a Palace press briefing.

She said that when it comes to targets, the determining factors for the agency are the budget and those agencies that will partner with the DENR on the projects.

"We need partnerships, and the only way we’re going to be able to implement the reforestation at a phase na siguro ina-anticipate ng lahat ‘no, is to build the partnerships in those areas na priority siya," Loyzaga said.

According to the DENR chief, the agency is still hoping to accomplish ten million hectares of forest lands in its reforestation program.

"So, ang one million is the modest target for our being able to actually get partnerships to move forward. Two million is our reach ‘no, is our reach but sana po umabot sa ten at least in terms of the overall na 15 by the end ‘no," she said.

Meanwhile, Loyzaga also said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. had approved the creation of the Geospatial Database Office that will map out the country's natural resources.

"So just this morning, we were asked to present a new office at the DENR call the National Natural Resource Geospatial Database Office (GDO). That office was organized after our first meeting with the President after our appointment where we suggested to him that it would be essential to manage our natural resources through establishing a physical baseline, kung ano po ang nandidiyan in terms of our natural resources in order for them to be accounted for, to be valued properly, and to be managed properly.

Loyzaga said the office would use satellite imagery and other tools to check the natural resources.

"So what this will do for us is it will allow us to identify saan ba ang priority in terms of forestation, reforestation, or where should be the water systems and infrastructure na dapat po ilagay natin in order to reach the most populations in need," Loyzaga said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News