The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Forest Management Bureau and Caraga Regional Office, conducted an Orientation cum Planning Workshop for the implementation of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCo) Vertical Integration Project (VIP) for CY2022 at Dottie’s Place, Butuan City, on April 18-22, 2022.

The five-day activity serves as a venue to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of carrying out the project’s strategic direction and a way to convene, brainstorm, and strategize for this year’s operations and plans, as the project reaches its second year of implementation.

On June 23, 2021, the DENR entered a Memorandum of Understanding with AFoCo to produce value-added wood products from forests within Negros Oriental and Agusan del Sur, which will generate jobs for grassroots communities and shall be implemented over five years until 2026.

The only two Community-Based Forest Management - People's Organization (CBFM-PO) considered for the project nationwide are the Mabuhay Timberland Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (MATILFAMCO) in Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, and the Nalundan United Farmers Association, Inc. (NUFAI) located in Bindoy, Negros Oriental.

Under the project, the CBFM-PO shall support the vertical integration of wood processing to produce value-added wood products by utilizing raw materials harvested from CBFM areas and thus promote livelihood opportunities within their community.

During his inspirational message, Regional Executive Director (RED) Nonito M. Tamayo highlighted the sustainable forest management project’s economic importance and gains for its beneficiaries and the environment.

“This is the realization of our dream for CBFM, wherein beneficiaries can produce their own materials, nurture the growing trees, harvest and then process it,” RED Tamayo said while stressing the financial benefits that the project accrue to the PO with the implementation of the AFoCo-VIP.

He added, “Hindi lang talaga ‘yung sinasabi natin nung una that there is money in planting trees but with VIP, there is even more money in planting and processing all those trees from their plantation.”

The orientation cum workshop was attended by Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Maritess M. Ocampo, PENR Officer Jose Flavio V. Concha of Agusan del Sur, CENR Officer Norman A. Asugan of Bayugan City, AFoCo VIP Project Manager Janelyn P. Francisco, Project Development Officers, site managers, and field implementing units’ representatives.###

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Parent Category: News & Events
Category: Press Releases
Published: 26 April 2022