A 120,000 hectare reforestation project in Samar Island Natural Park is underway, led by Green Samar BioSPV and Samar Bamboo Corporation. The initiative aims to restore degraded forests, protect watersheds, and generate carbon credits through a 25 year public private partnership. It is one of the largest ecosystem restoration efforts in Southeast Asia and is designed to link environmental recovery with rural development and climate finance. The project is expected to create thousands of jobs in forest protection and native tree planting, with over 20,000 residents benefiting from livelihood programs. It uses internationally certified carbon credits to fund long term maintenance. Proponents say the model could serve as a test case for natural capital investments in the Philippines, blending private capital with state oversight to rebuild forests as infrastructure for water, energy, and community resilience.
