ILOILO City – Western Visayas’ forest cover increased by 10.4% from 2010 to 2020 under the National Greening Program (NGP).
But far from just a tree-planting initiative, the program has woven environmental conservation with economic empowerment, showing how a region can address ecological challenges while uplifting its communities.
Launched in 2011, the NGP, spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), has transformed over 121,257 hectares of denuded lands into thriving plantations across Western Visayas.
Beyond restoring biodiversity and enhancing climate resilience, the program has become a lifeline for 8,844 individuals employed in seedling production, forest management, and extension services.
Under the leadership of DENR Regional Executive Director Raul Lorilla, an additional 2,275 hectares were reforested as of November 2024, bolstering Western Visayas’ reputation as a leader in environmental stewardship.
“The program’s success is not just in numbers. It’s in the lives it has improved and the ecosystems it has revived,” Lorilla emphasized during a media forum.
Initially targeting 1.5 billion trees planted by 2016, the program’s scope was expanded in 2015 to rehabilitate 7.1 million hectares of degraded lands nationwide by 2028./PN
