Vanishing forests: Why is the Philippines failing at reforestation?

play videoVideo Duration 25 minutes 00 seconds play-arrow25:00101 East investigates how the Philippines’ ambitious regreening programme is failing the nation’s forests.

In 2011, the Philippines’ government promised to deliver one of the world’s most ambitious regreening projects.

The idea was simple: pay locals to restore forests and cultivate barren land by planting and tending millions of trees.

But 15 years on, a joint investigation by 101 East and Lighthouse Reports reveals how the National Greening Program has failed to meet most of its targets.

Satellite imagery shows that instead of being protected, some forests are being destroyed, while some Indigenous communities fear losing the land their livelihoods depend on.

101 East investigates how the Philippines is failing its forests.

Nick Olle, supervising producer

Sharon Roobol, executive producer

Lucelle Bonzo, reporter/local producer

Min Lawi Lun, lead data investigator

Margot Gibbs, lead supply chain investigator

Viktoriia Maksymova, data fellow

Paul Nicholas Soriano, project manager