The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday announced plans to plant three million trees in the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) over the next three years. The goal is to raise forest cover from 25 percent at present to 43 percent, restoring degraded areas and bolstering biodiversity.
Declared a protected area in 2011 following the devastation of Typhoon Ondoy, the UMRBPL spans over 26,000 hectares across Antipolo City and the municipalities of Baras, Rodriguez, San Mateo, and Tanay in Rizal Province. It is home to a variety of threatened native tree species—such as narra, lauan, and molave—as well as wildlife including the Philippine deer, wild pig, and monitor lizard.
FMB assistant director Ray Thomas Kabigting said the expansion of closed forest cover not only rehabilitates ecosystems but also strengthens climate change mitigation and disaster risk reduction. “With the target of planting three million trees by 2028, the UMRBPL is fostering a more resilient environment and setting a precedent for sustainable development,” he said.
The reforestation drive is aligned with national policy goals on climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation. It builds on community partnerships under the National Greening Program, where 45 organizations have adopted 743 hectares of forestland since 2021.
The DENR also said that parts of the UMRBPL’s northern forest zones have been declared Strict Protection Zones under its 2020–2030 management plan, which ensures their long-term ecological preservation with minimal human interference.
