The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has unveiled nearly 1.2 million hectares of forest land across the country as Potential Investment Areas (PIAs) under a new and streamlined agreement aimed at boosting the productivity of the country’s forest lands and attracting sustainable investments.

At the Forest For Life: Sustainable Forest Land Management Agreement (SFLMA) launch on Thursday in Pasay City, Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla said the initiative, along with the 5M Trees by 2028 program, is part of the key components of the Marcos administration’s sustainable development agenda.

“These lands are outside protected areas and have been thoroughly mapped, assessed, and cleared for productive use,” he said, noting that the initiative builds on the groundwork laid under the administration of his predecessor Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga.

Lotilla said the SFLMA aims to streamline and harmonize various guidelines, procedures, and requirements for forest-related tenure instruments, thereby creating a more efficient and transparent process.

He said the initiative also represents a strategic transformation towards a holistic and sustainable future for the country’s forests by mobilizing strategic forest investments.

“We are creating a powerful engine for national economic development that will generate employment, stimulate rural economies, and contribute significantly to our GDP (gross domestic product) through sustainable forest enterprises,” he said.

Investment-ready

DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David explained that the forest lands, comprising 1,700 forest parcels, were identified and validated through ground surveys and satellite imaging.

He said these parcels, which span across all regions of the country, are largely classified as grasslands, idle, or barren areas, making them suitable for various productive uses.

“They are pre-identified initially, comprising a little less than 1.2 million hectares of forest lands ready for development,” David said.

“There is a good spread of these parcels throughout all of our regions. Special mention, of course, in the last three regions, Regions 11, 12, and 13, which have actually most of the parcels of forest land ready for development.”

He said around 85 percent of these lands partially overlap with 15 percent of ancestral domains, or Indigenous Cultural Communities occupied by Indigenous Peoples (IPs).

Lotilla assured, however, that no IPs would be displaced by this program, and that they would actually be partners of the DENR.

David, meanwhile, said the majority of the PIAs released during the launch are outside of protected areas or IP lands.

However, he said that in case a particular parcel is within an IP land, necessary permits would then be secured from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

He also assured that complete transparency and monitoring tools are in place under the program.

“We put in place an automated monitoring tool using satellite imagery. We are able to monitor each and every square meter of our land area pretty much on a weekly basis,” he said.

Sustainable development focus

The SFLMA replaces and consolidates several forest lease arrangements, creating a uniform process for granting tenure, while setting clear guidelines and rationalized user fees, which the DENR said would improve forest-based revenues and spur inclusive development.

In 2024, Lotilla said forest tenure agreements covered about 1.4 million hectares, generating roughly PHP600 million in revenues, which he described as low relative to the potential.

“We expect higher revenues and greater socio-economic impact, not only from fees but from the productivity, jobs, and food security these projects will support,” he said.

DENR Assistant Secretary Marcial Kabigting said several sectors are being prioritized under the program, including sustainable timber plantations to reduce dependence on imported wood, renewable energy projects in support of the national energy mix target, agroforestry ventures like coffee, cacao, rubber, and fruit trees, and bamboo production for industrial uses. (PNA)