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Prime Infra has signed a tripartite agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the provincial government of Rizal for the rehabilitation and sustainable management of the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL).
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) formalizes and builds upon the Memorandum of Understanding executed in February 2023. The MOA was signed by Prime Infra Chairman Enrique K. Razon Jr., DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, and Rizal Governor Nina Ricci Ynares.
Under the MOA, the parties committed to “rehabilitate, conserve, and sustainably manage” an initial 4,000 hectares within the UMRPBL, and to establish a model for afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation that integrates sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and disaster risk reduction, while generating verified nature-based credits.
“With this agreement, we aim to rehabilitate an initial 4,000 hectares of degraded land within the Upper Marikina protected area combining science-based approaches with community-centered efforts,” said Secretary Loyzaga.
“By generating nature-based credits, we are creating a model that aligns environmental conservation with economic opportunities benefiting both local communities and the broader economic landscape,” she added.
Prime Infra shall also ensure that the project activities align with the objectives of the National Greening Program (NGP) and contribute to the country’s climate change mitigation and adaptation goals.
The collaboration, Secretary Loyzaga emphasized, sets a new benchmark for public-private partnerships, whole-of-society, and whole-of-government.
For his part, Chairman Razon said the MOA not only establishes a model for environmental stewardship, but also creates a “blueprint for future projects that will drive meaningful change to restore ecosystems and enhance climate resilience.”
“Today’s milestone reflects that commitment—a decisive step toward safeguarding and restoring nature’s resources through innovative, science-based interventions, focusing closely on forest rehabilitation and management. This initiative also aligns with Prime Infra’s broader mission of building better lives and resilient economies, creating long-term value for both people and planet,” he said.
Razon noted that the province of Rizal has long been a strategic focus for Prime Infra, hosting two of its key infrastructure projects—the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project and the Wawa Pumped Storage Power Project.
“These projects, along with the MOA we are signing today, reinforce our dedication to driving sustainable development and creating a resilient future for the people of Rizal,” he said.
Also present during the signing ceremony were Prime Infra Chief Regulatory Officer Vince Dizon and Chief Administrative Officer Minerva Matibag; WawaJVCo President Melvin John Tan; and DENR Undersecretaries Atty. Juan Miguel Cuna, Atty. Ignatius Loyola Rodriguez, Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, Marilou Erni, Joselin Marcus Fragada, Atty. Ernesto Adobo Jr., and Augusto Dela Peña; and Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria.
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