The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Record of Discussions (R/D) with the Philippine government in Metro Manila on February 26, agreeing to an implementation framework for the technical cooperation project “Strengthening Forest Monitoring Capacity for Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation”. Discussions (R/D) on the technical cooperation project “Strengthening Forest Monitoring Capacity for Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation”. The R/D was signed by Mr. Rafael Lotiriya, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of the Republic of the Philippines, and Mr. Takashi Baba, Director of JICA Philippines Office.
Ceremony scene Mr. Baba, Director of JICA Philippines Office
This project is to develop an alert system using satellite data to enable early detection of factors contributing to forest degradation and deforestation in the Philippines, such as forest fires and illegal logging, and to enable prompt response on the ground. By utilizing remote sensing based on Japan’s advanced image analysis technology, the project will further strengthen the forest management system in cooperation with local residents and conserve the forests that have been planted in the past Japanese cooperation in the forestry field in the Philippines, and will also contribute to the implementation of NDCs (nationally determined contributions) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the country. In addition, the project will contribute to climate change countermeasures through the implementation of NDCs (National Determination Contribution) for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the country. Furthermore, based on the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter adopted at the G7 Kananaskis Summit in June 2025, this project aims to improve global resilience to wildfires through the development of an alert system and response capacity enhancement using geospatial technology for wildfire prevention and immediate response.
A summary of the business is as follows
Forest Monitoring Capacity Strengthening Project for Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation
Project on Enhancing Forest Monitoring Capacity for Sustainable Management and Conservation of Forests
Country (region covered)
Republic of the Philippines (Metropolitan Manila, Nueva Vizcaya Province, Nueva Ecija Province)
Business Objectives
This project aims to strengthen forest monitoring and management systems in the Philippines by developing a quasi-real-time forest disturbance alert system and enhancing field response capabilities, thereby contributing to the conservation of forests and plantations in the Philippines, including areas covered by the Forest Management Project.
Scheduled implementation period
49 months
Implementing Agency
Forest Management Bureau, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources; Biodiversity Management Bureau, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
Contribution to the SDGs
Goal 13 (take concrete action on climate change)
Goal 15 (Let’s also protect the abundance of land)
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