TACURONG CITY (Mindanao Examiner / June 27, 2014) – Two towns in the southern Philippine province of Sultan Kudarat have already reached at least 80% of its reforestation target under the government’s National Greening Program, an environment officer Jerry Dalauta said Friday.
Dalauta, of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, said the towns of Columbio and Lutayan were in the forefront of the reforestation program. He said a huge part of the towns are planted to rubber trees which also serve as livelihood to many beneficiaries.
He praised the residents and local government officials to the success of the reforestation program.
Just last month, Dalauta said at least 23 cooperatives and women’s organizations pledged their support to National Greening Program in Sultan Kudarat province.
He said the support was important to the success of the program, which is also being supported by Sultan Kudarat Congressman, Datu Raden Sakaluran and Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Suharto Mangudadatu, and the local mayors.
Dalauta also praised the active support of Director Tungko Saikol, of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 12, and its provincial counterpart Renato Domingo in realizing different programs alongside with their strict implementation of laws against illegal logging activities.
Dalauta said the program, launched by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is aimed at rehabilitating forests. As a strategy, it aspires the planting of some 1.5 billion trees in around 1.5 million hectares of public lands for six years, starting 2011 to 2016 and seeks the attainment of sustainable human development, and economic and ecological security.
Aside from being a reforestation initiative, it is also seen as a climate change mitigation strategy as it seeks to enhance the country’s forest stock to absorb carbon dioxide, which is largely blamed for global warming.
It is also designed to reduce poverty, providing alternative livelihood activities for marginalized upland and lowland households relating to seedling production and care and maintenance of newly-planted trees, according to the DENR. (Rose Muneza and Deanna Diaz)
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