And yet, there is very little disruption in our ordinary lives; no senator rises to deliver a privilege speech, and no grassroots organization mobilizes and rallies against the fact that, as of today, we are practically importing much of our raw wood supply. From a timber exporter, we are now a net timber importer.In 2021, based on the reported data by the Philippine Statistics Authority , our exports of forest-based products amounted to $1.
Thus, an integrated forest plantation-wood industry strategy would lead to an optimal, nature-based approach to carbon sequestration. Planting and harvesting trees, and converting them to wood instead of just keeping them as live biomass, is a dynamic process of carbon sequestration consistent with the tenets of a green economy, where livelihood is enabled through income and employment generation. It also reduces our trade deficit.