The Philippines is set to attract around P80 million in annual investments for a landmark nature restoration project that will rehabilitate 120,000 hectares of degraded rainforest in Samar Island Natural Park while creating jobs for local communities involved in reforestation and forest protection.

The Green Samar Project, a partnership between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), French environmental solutions company aDryada, and Philippine partner Samar Bamboo Corporation, is expected to become one of the country’s largest ecosystem restoration initiatives and a major test case for carbon-funded conservation projects.

aDryada International Development Head Matthieu Delouvrier said the project could position the Philippines as a global leader in large-scale nature restoration.

“This project is a real breakthrough and it makes the Philippines a leader, a regional leader and maybe a world leader for this kind of project. It’s a large-scale project, carbon finance, so it’s a very, very important news, which happened today, by world standards,” Delouvrier said.

The project will run for an initial 25 years, with the option to extend for another 25 years. It will combine native tree planting, assisted natural regeneration, and enrichment planting across portions of the 335,000-hectare Samar Island Natural Park, the largest terrestrial protected area in the Philippines and a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Forest Management Bureau Assistant Director Thomas Kabigting said the first eight to 10 years will involve the biggest investment phase as restoration activities are accelerated.

“Implementation will run for the first 25 years and will then be renewed for another 25 years. But during the first 25 years, the heaviest lifting will be done in the first eight to 10 years, and that is where most of the investment will come in,” Kabigting said.

“For this project alone, we are envisioning around P80 million in investments per year, not only for reforestation but also for hiring community members for forest patrols and forest guards, which the government alone cannot provide at the moment,” he added.

The initiative is expected to become the country’s first large-scale carbon and ecosystem restoration project implemented within a protected area under the current regulatory framework.

Beyond restoring forests, the project aims to improve the living conditions of more than 20,000 residents within the park through job creation, social infrastructure, improved agricultural practices, and a long-term benefit-sharing program. It is expected to generate 800 to 1,000 jobs during its first seven years.

The program will also strengthen the protection of Samar Island Natural Park through expanded ranger capacity, additional equipment, and improved monitoring systems. A permanent conservation mechanism funded through future carbon credit revenues will help sustain protection efforts beyond the project’s crediting period.

DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the project shows how environmental protection, community development, and private investment can work together to deliver long-term impact.

“The Green Samar Project demonstrates how the Philippines can align environmental protection, community development, and private investment to achieve lasting impact at scale,” Cuna said.

He added that the initiative could serve as a model for future restoration projects by demonstrating how strong governance and transparent regulations can attract long-term investments for conservation.

aDryada CEO Fabio Ferrari said the project reflects the company’s approach of treating nature as critical infrastructure requiring disciplined and long-term management.

“Nature is some of the world’s most important infrastructure and deserves to be managed with the same discipline and long-term perspective,” Ferrari said.

Samar Bamboo Corporation CEO Benjie Picardo said the initiative will help protect Samar’s natural heritage while creating opportunities for local communities.

Audax Global, represented by Allana Montelibano, Atty. Karen Jimeno, and Jeremy Knight, serves as project convenor and strategic partner, bringing together government agencies, private firms, and international organizations for the restoration effort.

The Green Samar Project will follow international standards for carbon accounting, environmental safeguards, and biodiversity restoration as the Philippines seeks to expand nature-based investments and strengthen climate resilience.