Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 26)
The policy declared is the pursuit of sustainable development for poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation through the implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP).
The NGP covers planting approximately 1.5 billion trees over 1.5 million hectares of public domain lands from 2011 to 2016, including forestlands, mangroves, protected areas, ancestral domains, civil and military reservations, urban areas under LGU greening plans, inactive/abandoned mine sites, and other suitable lands.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is designated as the lead agency for the NGP.
Key strategies include social mobilization (requiring students and government employees to plant seedlings, involving private sector and civil society), harmonization of greening initiatives, provision of incentives to beneficiaries, and establishment of centralized monitoring and database management.
Peoples' Organizations (POs) are given the primary responsibility of maintaining and protecting the established plantations with appropriate governmental and private sector assistance.
Proceeds from agroforestry plantations accrue to beneficiary communities to reduce poverty and address food security; they are prioritized in the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program; and incentives are developed to encourage rainforestation especially in protected areas.
DepEd and CHED are responsible for student mobilization, nursery establishment, seedling production, tree planting, information dissemination, extension services, and monitoring and evaluation activities.
LGUs develop greening plans for urban/suburban areas, establish nurseries, build access roads, provide medical support and technical assistance. Other agencies such as DSWD, DBM, DILG, DOH, DPWH, DOTC, DND, DOST, DOJ, NCIP, TESDA, PAGCOR, and others provide specific responsibilities including funding, transportation, security, technical support, monitoring, and mobilization.
Funding for the current year is provided by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and subsequent years' funding shall be included in the regular appropriations of participating agencies.
Any unconstitutional provision shall not nullify the entire Executive Order as long as the remaining provisions can still subsist and be given full effect.