By Mike de la Rama
LEGAZPI CITY, March 2 (PNA) – The Provincial Government of Albay will start this month the establishment of barangay forests province- wide in support to the National Greening Program towards the implementation and attainment of the national government target of planting 1.5 billion seedlings nationwide.
Arnold Embestro, Provincial Environment Natural Resources Officer (ENRO) said the program aimed to establish sustainable trees in every barangays maintained by local residents.
“The livelihood component in this program is to allow local residents through their barangay officials to maintain and grow their trees and they will be paid depending on the number of trees grown.”
In the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Interior and Local Government joint Memorandum Circular there are 1.5 million hectares of public domain that will be established as barangay forests and portion of which will be utilized as nurseries to produce planting materials.
Embestro explained that aside from sustaining the environment, this (program) will help unemployed individuals to earn a living. He added that the development of the plantation should be guided by the NGP guidelines and commodity roadmap for calendar year 2013 to 2016 .
“The participating municipalities and barangays shall be responsible for the protection and maintenance of the areas they have developed,” Embestro said.
An agreement with the recipients will be entered into by both parties with the general provision: funds provided by the DENR under this Agreement shall be used by the Recipient Barangay exclusively for the conduct of said activities consistent with the work and financial plan.
Maintenance and protection of the developed areas under this Agreement shall be the conducted by the participating Barangay and funds thereof shall be provided by the participating Municipal and Barangay governments to ensure high survival of the established plantation. (PNA)