SFFI Meets With New DENR Undersecretary Marlo Mendoza
The Society of Filipino Foresters, Inc. (SFFI) led by its National Council President Tommy Valdez met with the new Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Marlo Mendoza on August 12, 2016 at Mario’s Restaurant in Tomas Morato, Quezon City.
They spoke about the direction the current administration has with regards to the sector.
Mendoza said that the current DENR administration adheres to social justice as its core principle.
He mentioned that they will be implementing the Enhanced National Greening Program which targets local planters and harvesters including the private sector.
Harvesters and planters should be informed that what they are doing is a business, hence species, site and market matching should be considered, he added.
He then shared his hopes that planting should alleviate poverty, and told them that the program will be following the Finland Model of forest plantation. He also told them that planters should be encouraged to plant cash crops and fruit and forest trees.
He then talked about area management, a river-basin approach, which will cut across political boundaries. This is an holistic approach that covers economical, political, and institutional aspects.
He also shared that the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) were advised to identify indigenous species with similar properties and economic viability comparable to exotic species. He said that these species should be tested and should already be acceptable to the market before the exotic species are phased out. It was suggested that alternative species comparable to dipterocarp species should also be identified.
Mendoza then told them that indigenous species should be planted in protected forest areas, while exotic species should be planted in plantations. However, the kind of species to be used in plantation is always a business decision.
Lastly, Mendoza stated that they are simplifying the bureaucratic processes by decentralizing approval of permits to the region.