The Forest Management Services (FMS) of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) – BARMM conducted a validation of the flagship Integrated Bangsamoro Greening Program (IBGP) in the Province of Tawi-Tawi particularly in the Municipalities of South Ubian, Sapa-Sapa, Languyan, Tandubas, Mandulan, Sibuto and Sitangkai last 5-11 December 2022.

The said validation is a regular activity of the regional office to monitor the progress of the IBGP implementation and ensure that carried-out activities in the provinces are on track. The validation team is led by FMS Director Abdul-Jalil S. Umngan represented by Community Based Forest Management Division (CBFMD) Chief Faisal U. Akmad together with Foresters Manuel Amador B. Capin, Salman Hadji Abdulsamad and Casan Hussien R. Walanda.

For the year 2022, PENREO Tawi-Tawi has implemented regreening project for around 500 hectares in the mangrove and upland ecosystems across the province. Bakawan-lalaki (Rhizophora apiculata), Bakawan-babae (Rhizophora mucronata), Acacia (Acacia magium) and Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa) were used as planting materials in the IBGP.

IBGP is a banner program of BARMM under the leadership of Chief Minister Ahod B. Ibrahim lodged at MENRE led by Minister Akmad A. Brahim. IBGP aims to grow 171.2 million tress covering about 159,000 hectares of forestland within BARMM. It also promotes poverty reduction, resources protection and management, productivity enhancement, food security and nutrition normalization process, climate change mitigation and adaptation.