MIMAROPA

DENR to partner with Sibuyan IP on national greening program

By Dinnes Manzo

Thursday 21st of June 2012

ODIONGAN, Romblon, June 21 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE) will meet in Manila on June 26 to enter into a Partnership Agreement with Sibuyan Indigenous People (IP) through its Asosasyon ng Tribong Sibuyan Mangyan Tagabukid (ATSMT).

FPE, a non-government organization and DENR-Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) in Odiongan, Romblon will partner for the successful implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP).

The said meeting will formalize the local partnership agreement, discuss and execute a MOA on Partnership re: National Greening Program, as well as adopt a roadmap to accomplish its objectives. It will be led by Mark Anthony L. Bagsit, project coordinator, DENR-CENRO Protected Area Superintendent in Sibuyan Island Malvin R. Rocero and an ATSMT representative.

The program will address forest degradation in the ancestral domain by planting indigenous species of forest trees. The beneficiary of the project is the Sibuyan Indigenous cultural community.

In the agreement, DENR shall provide financial and technical support on reforestation; the FPE shall provide counterpart resources in the form of existing projects and programs to support the objectives and outcome of NGP; and the Sibuyan IP- recipient and partner civil society organization will take charge in the implementation, maintenance, and protection.

According to Bagsit, the upland forest production capacity is 300,000 and covers 600 hectares indigenous people ancestral land situated in various barangays in the municipalities of Cajidiocan and San Fernando, Sibuyan Island, Romblon. These planting sites will be reforested using indigenous tree species.

This activity is in support to the recently issued Memorandum Circular No. 2012-01 by DENR addressing all regional executive directors in the country and its local counterparts to provide technical assistance and other appropriate support to ensure successful implementation of the NGP Partnership Agreement. (Contributed by Engr. Raymund G. Inocencio, EMS-II, ENRO/TBO/DM-PIA-IVB, Romblon.)