PIA Press Release
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 DENR-6 targets denuded forests, public lands for NGPby Elsa S. Subong ILOILO CITY, Jan. 17 (PIA6) -- The tree planting activities of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for 2012 will focus on the denuded forests and public lands. The areas will be planted with endemic and fruit-bearing trees to gradually restore the denuded areas. DENR Regional Executive Dir. Julian Amador has urged his field officers to be more aggressive with their commitment for the National Greening Program (NGP). A DENR press release said that for 2012, the PENRO in Iloilo aims to cover 3,703 hectares; PENRO-Negros Occidental, 3,264; PENRO-Antique, 2,350; PENRO-Aklan, 1,531; PENRO-Capiz, 1,100; and, PENRO-Guimaras, 136 hectares. The DENR aims to cover 12,084 hectares of denuded forests and public lands this year, according to Amador. As of December 2011, the regional office reported that it has covered 3,963 hectares of public lands out of its 4,033 hectares target. Meanwhile, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said they will employ hundreds of new foresters to guard the implementation of the greening program. Earlier, President Aquino has allotted some P2.68 billion for the NGP for 2012. On the other hand, Forest Management Services (FMS) Regional Technical Director Livino Duran will also be closely monitoring the performance of DENR field officers, to improve the region’s standing in the NGP all over the country, which was third only in the implementation of the NGP. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo) |
