The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is set to increase the country’s forest cover by an additional three million hectares by 2028, according to Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga.
To achieve this goal, the agency has begun mapping 1.2 million hectares of forest land, which will be opened to people’s organizations, private companies, government institutions, and international corporations for reforestation efforts.
Currently, the Philippines has 15 million hectares of classified forest land, but only seven million hectares are covered with forests. The DENR aims to gradually increase this figure to at least 10 million hectares over the next few years.
“We hope to target an additional three million hectares for reforestation by 2028,” Yulo-Loyzaga stated in an ABS-CBN News, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in restoring the country’s forests.
