ILOILO – The provincial government is envisioning Iloilo as a “forest province” that will yield significant benefits for agriculture, disaster risk reduction, tourism, and the economy.
To achieve this, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. stressed the need to focus on key areas, such as government-owned forests and public forest lands.
While reforestation efforts by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 6 and other agencies are ongoing, Defensor stressed the importance of Iloilo’s contribution to increasing the country’s forest cover by planting trees on Iloilo’s public lands.
He appealed for the cooperation of all municipalities and stakeholders during the kick-off ceremony for the 3rd Provincial Environmental Awareness Month on Monday, November 4, at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol lobby.
The event showcased key green initiatives, including the launch of Balik Alat 2.0, Tanum Iloilo for MoRProGRes Iloilo (Movement for a Robust, Progressive, Globally Competitive, and Resilient Province of Iloilo), and Project LISO, all critical to the vision of a robust, progressive, globally competitive, climate-resilient, and forest-rich Iloilo.
Defensor emphasized that the success of these initiatives depends on the collective efforts of all sectors, stating that the Iloilo provincial government alone cannot achieve this ambitious goal.
The vision of a “forest province” is not new. In 2019, the provincial government launched the Tanum Iloilo program, which has now been enhanced under Executive Order 195. This order, issued in September 2024, established Tanum Iloilo for MoRProGRes: Tree Growing and Forest Development Strategies and Solutions towards a Forest Province.
“We want to declare to the whole country and the world our vision for Iloilo – a vision of a forest province. This vision aligns with our executive order’s objectives, setting practical strategies and solutions in tree growing and forest development,” Defensor said
Defensor likened his vision to Singapore, which is globally recognized as a “Garden City”.
Another priority is the development of the Integrated Social Forest Project (ISFP) as a resource for food security and tourism.
Tree-growing and forest development in ISFPs will support the MoRProGRes Gardens initiative, promoting food security, tourism, and climate resilience, and the Turista sa Barangay for MoRProGRes program, which aims to develop barangays as venues for community tourism events.
Through these revitalized programs, the province plans to collaborate with national government agencies, local government units, and convergence partners to optimize tree-growing and forest development in designated public and private lands.
“We want Iloilo to be a forest province not just in name but in concrete, practical terms with clear, measurable targets,” Defensor said. “This is what Tanum Iloilo is all about.”/PN
