• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Occidental provincial government has started preparations for a large-scale reforestation initiative within the 547-hectare rehabilitation site in the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP).
To help restore forest cover in the watershed areas, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson called on communities, local government units, volunteers, and partner organizations to participate in organizing communities, establishing on-site tree nurseries, and conducting tree-growing activities.
The provincial government’s Information and Communications Technology Division, through its Drone and Geographic Information System Team, recently completed the aerial mapping of the reforestation site, providing detailed information on its location, terrain, elevation, and contours to guide restoration efforts.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Negros Island Region and the provincial government recently formalized a 25-year partnership to rehabilitate and maintain a 547-hectare bamboo plantation within the MKNP in Murcia under the government’s Enhanced National Greening Program.
The provincial government has also been protecting the remaining old-growth forests of the Northern Negros Natural Park in Sitio Tambara, Barangay San Fernando, Talisay City for more than two years while rehabilitating damaged areas through the planting of native trees and bamboo across the 110-hectare area under its management.
The reforestation campaign comes amid growing concern over forest loss in the province.
According to data cited from Global Forest Watch, Negros Occidental lost approximately 700 hectares of humid primary forest between 2002 and 2025.
In a social media post, Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos emphasized that old-growth forests are critical ecosystems that support biodiversity, safeguard watersheds, reduce flood and landslide risks, store carbon, and provide clean water, noting that unlike newly planted forests, primary forests take centuries to develop and cannot be easily replaced.
Discussions surrounding the initiative also highlighted the relationship between watershed restoration and the province’s proposed bulk water supply project.
Environmental advocate Ernie Larida urged intensified reforestation efforts, particularly in Northern Negros watersheds, saying forest restoration should remain a priority alongside infrastructure projects.
Responding to the concerns, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II defended the bulk water supply project, saying watershed rehabilitation and sustainable water development can proceed simultaneously.
Diaz explained that the project aims to utilize excess surface water that would otherwise flow unused to the sea, reducing dependence on groundwater extraction and helping prevent saltwater intrusion into aquifers.
He added that many water districts in other parts of the country already rely on treated surface water as a sustainable source of potable water.
Diaz also addressed what he described as misconceptions surrounding the project, including claims that existing water sources remain sufficient, that the project would deplete rivers, that it is driven primarily by profit, and that it offers little public benefit.
He said the provincial bulk water supply project is designed to provide treated drinking water to local water districts at approximately P14 per cubic meter while improving long-term water security for hundreds of thousands of residents. | GPB
