With floods, droughts, and heatwaves becoming more frequent, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) urged private companies to help restore the country’s forests, which serve as lifelines that protect millions of Filipinos from the worst effects of climate change.

DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla emphasized that forests are vital in protecting communities, especially those living near vulnerable watersheds that are prone to flooding, landslides, and drought.

“Together, we are not simply planting trees, but motivating a future – one where our forests thrive and our stakeholders live in a healthy, prosperous, and resilient society,” he said during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DENR and the Ayala Group of Companies under the Forests for Life: 5 Million Trees by 2028 program.

The program seeks to plant at least five million native trees over the next three years across critical watershed areas in Ilocos Norte, Bataan, Rizal, Leyte, Bukidnon, and Lanao del Norte. 

These locations, according to the agency, are known for their ecological importance and exposure to climate-related disasters.

Lotilla said forests must be recognized not only as environmental assets but also as economic ones. 

He challenged stakeholders to see the broader value of forest restoration beyond just generating carbon credits.

“Are we going to simply see ourselves as producers of carbon credits? Can we take a look at how we can catch or capture part of the value added?” he said.

“We need not be part of the regional hub,” he added. “We can see whether there is money to be made in being a hub, not only for the region, but also globally.”

The MOU formalizes the Ayala Group’s commitment to the program through its member companies Ayala Corporation, Ayala Land, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Telecom, and Ayala Corporation Energy (ACEN). The group now joins 21 other organizations listed as partners.

The DENR said it will identify and assess suitable reforestation sites, provide technical support and permitting guidance, and monitor implementation through its Forest Management Bureau and regional offices. 

As such, it will track carbon sequestration and tree survival rates, maintain a public registry of program partners, and promote transparency.

The environment department said partner companies will handle site preparation, seedling production, tree planting, and maintenance.

The agency said the Forests for Life program goes beyond traditional tree-planting by incorporating carbon sequestration tracking, satellite and drone monitoring, and data-driven forest management to ensure measurable impact and accountability.

The DENR said the trees planted under the program are indigenous and not intended for harvesting, as the forests are designed to provide long-term benefits such as clean air and water, enhanced biodiversity, reduced disaster risk, and support for the country’s global climate commitments.

Lotilla expressed hope that more companies will take part in the initiative, not only to meet environmental, social, and governance goals, but also to help restore ecosystems that directly support the well-being of millions of Filipinos.

“We are building more than forests,” he said. “We are building protection for generations to come.”