BARMM launches program to reforest 10,000 hectares

By BPI-BARMM

November 23, 2019

Mindanao forest (The Manila Times photo.)

COTABATO CITY: Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim spearheaded the launching of the Integrated Bangsamoro Greening Program (IBGP) on Saturday, November 23, at Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

The program is designed to reforest 10,000 hectares of open and denuded forests in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao Del Sur. Its implementation will begin on December 1, 2019.

"Kailangan po nating mapangalagaan ang ating homeland sapagkat ito ang siyang yamang ating ipinaglaban ng mahabang panahon at karapatan po ng susunod na henerasyon na may abutan pang yaman ng ating Bangsamoro Homeland, partikular na ang mga likas nitong yaman,” Mr. Ebrahim said.

The IBGP is one of the priority programs of Bangsamoro Government and also part of its peacekeeping efforts as the program would involve the hiring of Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) members as palaw or forest rangers.

Environment Minister Abdulraof Macacua has been placed at the helm of its implementation.

“Since we lived in the forest before and part of our duty then was to protect the environment. This program will take us back again to forest to protect it,” Mr. Macacua said.

Part of the launching ceremony was the signing of the contract of service of 400 BIAF members who are not net covered by the decommissioning process as palaw rangers.

Some BIAF commanders and BARMM officials were also present to witness the launching of IBGP and signing of contracts. (Bureau of Public Information)