DENR RED Arleigh Adorable (right) fist bumps KUFFA President Efren Reyes (left) while handing the Certificate of Completion and Acceptance
DENR Region X awarded the Certificate of Completion and Acceptance of CY 2015 and CY 2016 Natural Resource Management (NRM) subprojects to the 51 partner people’s organizations/indigenous people’s organizations (POs/IPOs) of the Integrated Natural Resources Environmental Management Project (INREMP). The transfer of management of NRM sites to the POs/IPOs means that they would be the ones responsible for the management, including maintenance and protection, and sustainability of the initiatives in accordance with their Sustainable Development Management Plans (SDMP). DENR would continue to provide technical assistance and monitor the development in light of these plans and existing environmental laws.
These POs/IPOs have been engaged primarily to protect the natural forests. A total of 5,481 hectares have been planted with endemic tree species through the assisted natural regeneration (ANR) and reforestation approaches to increase the forest cover and biodiversity in the area.
Regional Executive Director Arleigh Adorable said that DENR would actively take part in the preparation of Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) of POs/IPOs to ensure the protection of natural forests on which everyone depends for vital ecosystem services.
In the meantime, high value crops such as cacao, coffee, and abaca planted in agroforestry subproject areas have reached the harvesting stage. Once this is realized, the post-harvest facilities that were earlier procured through the Livelihood Enhanced Support subproject for the purpose would be put at full operational capacity. (INREMP/ Jayson Ligtas)
