[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’4T hectares in Iloilo up for reforestation ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – An additional 4,000 hectares in Iloilo province will be reforested.
According to Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) chief Raul Lorilla, the reforestation is under the Forestland Management Project (LMP) supposedly for the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
“(CAR) cannot provide an area of about 4,000 hectares (for the LMP),” Lorilla said during a recent consultation meeting with the Iloilo provincial government and other stakeholders at the provincial capitol.
Iloilo governor Arthur Defensor Sr., the regional directors of the National Economic and Development Authority, National Commission on Indigenous People and Department of Environment and Natural Resources decided to take in the supposed target reforestation area for CAR, said Lorilla.
The PENRO already identified an area equivalent to 1,500 hectares, said Lorilla. The reforestation cost for this is estimated at P65 million
“So 4,000 hectares will translate to about nearly P200 million,” said Lorilla.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding the reforestation project.
“The important thing here is that the accompanying agro-forestry support facilities like roads and bridges will be allocated to Region 6,” Lorilla stressed.
He saw these facilities boosting Iloilo’s economy and will assure the continuous water supply of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase II.
Meanwhile, Lorilla said, DENR is aligning the reforestation project to another thrust of the province – to enhance coffee and cacao production.
“The reforestation project can support this. There will be vast tracts of coffee and cacao plantations,” said Lorilla.
Lorilla noted that Western Visayas already had an FMR way back in 2012 dubbed as the Jalaur River Basin Forestland Management Project – in three Iloilo municipalities (Calinog, Lambunao and Janiuay) covering a total of 25 barangays.
“We are targeting about 7,500 hectares so with the additional 4,000 hectares we are expecting to develop 11,000 hectares within three municipalities already determined by experts, especially agriculturists. These are suitable for coffee and cacao production,” said Lorilla./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
