Manila, July 10 -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday announced its plans to accelerate reforestation of the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) to nearly double its forest cover as part of its efforts to fight climate change and reduce disaster risks for nearby communities.

In a news release, DENR's Forest Management Bureau Assistant Director Ray Thomas Kabigting revealed that currently, just under 25 percent of the UMRBPL's more than 26,000 hectares of land are forested, and that the agency aims to expand this to 43 percent by planting 3 million new trees by 2028.

He said through this initiative, the DENR hopes to protect Metro Manila and parts of Rizal province from destructive ...