TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Labor and Employment has tapped members of the Mamanwa indigenous community in Biliran for forest protection and reforestation work under its emergency employment program.

In partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources provincial office in Biliran, DOLE employed 50 members of the Mamanwa community for 31 days under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers program in Barangay Caucab, Almeria, Biliran.

The beneficiaries, who are members of the Mamanwa Tribe Association and Caucab Forest Savers Association Inc., were assigned to community-based forest management and bamboo planting activities.

They were also tasked with maintaining and protecting Individual Plus Trees, or IPTs, within the Tres Marias Mountain range.

According to DOLE’s regional office, the designated IPTs serve as superior and exceptionally healthy genetic sources for seeds, cuttings and future breeding efforts to support sustained reforestation.

“Protecting this crucial ecological zone directly addresses key local challenges, including limited plantation resources, ongoing environmental threats to tree survival, scarce employment options in upland areas, and the pressing demand for sustainable forest management,” DOLE-8 said in a statement.

Beneficiary Dondon Calinawan said the initiative gave his community not only temporary employment but also an opportunity to help protect and nurture the environment they depend on.

DOLE said its partnership with DENR helped combine livelihood assistance with environmental protection, providing immediate income support while contributing to the long-term conservation of Biliran’s forests.