Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn C. Bambalan (left) checks on a cacao tree in the 105-hectare plantation located at Bgy. Baliuag, Peñablanca, Cagayan Valley, which is being managed by the people’s organization Green Valley Bical-Baliuag Upland Farmers Association (GVBUFA), led by its Chair Editha Manuel (right). The partnership of DENR and GVBUFA started in 2017, in line with DENR’s flagship program, the National Greening Program (NGP). Aside from benefiting from the high value crop, cacao, the people’s organization planted banana as hedgerows, not only for marking tree boundaries and preventing soil loss, but also for additional livelihood. The success of reforestation in this Cagayan Valley area allows many upland farmers now to venture into other business like banana chips production, an additional source of income for their family. #