BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya: The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENR) office here has tapped the military for the development of at least eight municipalities that have been deforested resulting in illegal activities in recent years. To do this, the PENR has collaborated with the Philippine Army’s (PA) 203rd Community Defense Center (CDC) through a memorandum of a partnership agreement (MoPA) for the development of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Ecological Park and Training Center in Aritao town. PENR officer Giovannie Magat and CDC director Bernard Ragus signed the MoPA to enrich the existing plantations and regreen denuded lands and other areas within the eight municipalities covered by the PENR sub-office. Magat has expressed support for the greening endeavors of the PA and also appealed to the public to support the uniformed personnel in forest development and protection. “The DENR is always ready to extend technical assistance in this endeavor and provide quality planting materials to ensure high survival of the plantations,” he said. For his part, Col. Bernard Ragus, 203rd CDC personnel head, has assured their commitment to the environment programs through bayanihan (community spirit). Army reservist Flodemonte Gerdan, also a former Nueva Vizcaya board member, expressed his hopes that illegal activities within the forest plantations will stop through the PENR and PA partnership.