Philippines’ new forest policy wins business backing but alarms green groups

MANILA — The Philippine government has rolled out a sweeping forest land reform that officials say will attract investment while promising sustainability. The initiative, dubbed the Sustainable Forest Land Management Agreement (SFLMA), was launched June this year by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Officials tout it as a major shift in forest governance, but the policy has already sparked support and criticism alike. The policy consolidates seven existing tenure instruments — each previously covering specific land uses like agroforestry, industrial timber plantations or grazing — into a single, 25-year renewable production-sharing agreement. This streamlined mechanism allows multiple land uses within a designated forest area, from reforestation and eco