DENR-7 exceeds NGP target for this year

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 exceeded its National Greening Program plantation target by three percent for 2015.

In a report released by the Conservation and Development Division, the DENR-7 has marked its 103 percent accomplishment in NGP last October 23.

DENR-7 Director Isabelo R. Montejo said that this is equivalent to around 15,661.20 hectares of newly established NGP plantations in Central Visayas for this year.

Montejo said that despite the threats brought about by the El Niño phenomenon, the DENR takes pride on its hardest efforts of exceeding its targets on NGP each year starting from 2011 up to 2015.

NGP is one of the flagship programs of the Aquino Administration aimed at greening 1.5 million hectares of degraded forest lands in the country.

With its expected completion in 2016, Montejo said this will mark another milestone in the continued reforestation efforts in Central Visayas.

In a four-year period, DENR-7 was able to establish a total of 80,703 hectares of NGP plantations in all four provinces in the region exceeding its target of 77,479 hectares for six years.

“With the concerted efforts of the DENR, government agencies, non-government organizations and other private partners, we were able to deliver or in fact exceed our targets,” Montejo added.

For 2015, Cebu province has reforested around 4,612 hectares; Bohol with 3,319 hectares; Negros Oriental with 7, 545.20 hectares; and Siquijor with 185 hectares.   (FREEMAN)