DENR update on forest leasing set to expand job opportunities

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued an administrative order that sought to make changes in the ownership of forest land within the country.

Through Department Administrative Order (DAO) 2025-22, the DENR opened the door for communities that rely on forests for their livelihood to have prolonged control over their land which allows them to both protect and benefit from these forests.

Environment Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla described the change as a “climate and livelihood strategy” noting that through the Sustainable Forest Land Management Agreement (SLFMA) a more sustainable environment can be established.

“The SFLMA changes all of that. It creates better livelihoods, improves forest governance, and ensures that every hectare of forestland is managed sustainably for generations to come,” he said.

In a study conducted by the Philippine Forestry Statistics in 2022, the total forest coverage in the country was said to have spanned 7.22 million hectares which accounted for over 24 percent of the country’s land area.

However, according to the Climate Change Commission the Philippines had lost nearly 1.42 million hectares of forest land from 2001 to 2022 which translated into 848 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

As part of DAO 2025-22, SLFMA allows qualified partners to have the ability to manage a particular land for 25 years. It also aimed to modernize a system that had made ownership and sharing of forest land a lengthy process.

This development was also projected to make room for more business opportunities to arise for public and private organizations alike to invest in forest-centric businesses.

Lotilla emphasized that the effect that the order would have on forestry is two-fold, making room for economic growth and promoting a greener, safer, and more climate-resilient nation.

“We strengthen protection and enforcement, and at the same time empower communities who depend on forests for their future. It is a governance reform designed to last,” he said.

The environmental agency maintained that this updated system will change how environmental protection is carried out as the people that are responsible in protecting the forests would also be able to benefit from them in the long-term as well.