The agency cited that Metro Manila is more than just a highly urbanized region; it is an urban forest striving to become greener, more sustainable, and more resilient for future generations, ultimately reshaping how we view the country's capital.
This massive mapping initiative is not just an exercise in tree-counting. It is a critical component of the Philippine Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan - specifically Target No. 12 - which aggressively aims to increase the extent and accessibility of urban green and blue spaces for the public by 2040.
To map this urban environmental backbone, the DENR-NCR expanded its validation efforts across multiple local government units.
Teams scrutinized everything from sprawling public parks and coastal vegetation to tree-lined roads, school gardens, landscaped corporate compounds, center islands, and even humble roadside plant boxes.
The baseline mapping, which took off heavily in 2025, initially covered six cities and one municipality, capturing a significant green footprint.
This included Muntinlupa City with 1,680.70 hectares, Parañaque with 789.83 hectares, Taguig with 670.38 hectares, Marikina City with 428.57 hectares, Las Piñas with 408.73 hectares, and Pateros, the sole municipality, with 62.61 hectares.
In the first half of 2026, the green ledger grew even larger as the mapping expanded to include the massive footprint of Quezon City, which boasts a staggering 5,616.68 hectares of validated green space, followed by Pasay City with 250.24 hectares, and San Juan with 88.33 hectares.
