THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is seeking a P28.04 billion budget for 2027, which it described as a ‘strategic investment’ in nature conservation and ecological integrity, local livelihoods and climate resilience.
This is slightly lower than the P28.33 approved budget of the agency this year.
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna presented the key highlights of the proposed fiscal year budget and strategic priorities during the committee on appropriations budget hearing at the House of Representatives led by committee vice chairman Palawan Rep. Jose Chaves Alvarez.
Of the total proposed budget, P2.79 billion is allocated for Capital Outlay, while P13.07 billion is allocated for maintenance, and Other Operating Expenses, and P12.17 billion for Personnel Services.
The amount covers the Central Office, four staff bureaus, 17 regional offices, 77 Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Offices (Penros), 144 Community Environment and Natural Resource Offices (Cenros), and four Municipal Environment Offices (MEs) with a total budget of P20.62 billion.
The proposed budget covers P2.101 billion for the Environmental Management Bureau, P1.89 billion for the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and P1.9 billion for the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority.
The budget proposal also includes P284.35 million for the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) while the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSDS) will be given P149.3 million.
Cuna said that with its immense mandate, the DENR is entrusted with a challenging yet vital responsibility.
‘Our primary priority is translating this mandate into direct community impact amid limitations in fiscal space; we commit to channeling our resources toward three impactful pillars,’ he said.
He said the DENR aims to unlock the country’s Natural Capital to drive sustainable socio-economic development, ensuring a clean and healthy environment and strengthening ecosystem resilience.
This, Cuna said, involves transforming the National Greening Program (NGP) into a forest landscape restoration approach, focusing on priority landscapes such as the Sierra Madre Protected Landscape.
For 2027, he said the DENR aims to support community-based social enterprises, ensuring that the objective is not merely to plant trees, but to restore biodiversity and strengthen ecosystem resilience, and create sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
In his presentation, the DENR chief said the goal is to generate 225,392 jobs for 52,815 individuals via the E-NGP.
Moreover, the DENR said it targets to issue 43,596 land patents for residential, agricultural and special purposes.
Meanwhile, for the mining sector, Cuna said the target is to drive towards a 2 percent mining Gross Domestic Product Contribution by the end of the year.
This involves generating 207,923 jobs and mineral exports of around $7 billion.
In 2027, the target is to establish 10 new Minahang Bayan sites and to fast-track the assessment of quadrangle geological maps to determine critical mineral potentials.
The DENR chief also stressed the allocation of P124 million for direct financial assistance to water districts to eo expand service to unserved barangays to boost water security.
In terms of advancing a clean and healthy environment, Cuna said the DENR aims to empower local governments (LGU) and the private sector in solid waste management.
He noted that the Extended Producers Responsibility has mobilized 962 enterprises, which have successfully diverted 244 million kilograms of plastic packaging footprints.
To boost proper waste segregation and promote recycling, the DER aims to provide direct assistance to 4,400 barangays to operationalize Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), and assist 53 local government units (LGUs) with on-site assessment and 68 LGUs with conceptual designs for solid waste management facilities.
Moreover, the DENR chief said the agency aims to expand the country’s network of sanitary landfills by operationalizing more landfills, targeting 397 existing sanitary landfills servicing 805 cities and towns nationwide.
In strengthening the ecosystem’s integrity and climate resilience, the DENR chief said the DENR will continue to safeguard critical ecosystems and promote wildlife conservation through the Protected Areas.
There are currently 121 legislated Protected Areas covering 4.51 million hectares.
The Philippines also maintains a total of 70 Wildlife Rescue Centers.
Meanwhile, the DENR also targets to strengthen the network of Marine Protected Areas and implement the 10 Research and Development Agenda and Operationalization of Marine Science Research Centers, on top of the 8 facilities already established.
The DENR is enhancing its capacity and workforce to establish site-specific ecosystem accounts as mandated by the Natural Accounting or PENCAS law.
‘By measuring the economic value of our environment, the ecosystem services and the tangible benefits of conservation, we are enabling smarter, data-driven planning, programming and budgeting,’ he said.