The government plans to invest some P2.5 billion in environmental programs that are expected to generate emergency employment opportunities for more than 114, 000 jobless workers this year in line with the green collar jobs and environment programs launched recently by President Arroyo, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) has announced.

NAPC Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban said that the multi-million peso investment will be used to finance the upland development and Bantay Kalikasan programs of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as part of the government’s efforts to protect the country’s threatened environmental systems and ensure jobs for the poorest of the Filipino poor.

“As of August 14 this year, the government, under the guidance of the President and the leadership of DENR Secretary Lito Atienza, had already obligated around P86.2 million for the two programs, hiring some 65,377 poor folk in the process,” Panganiban said.

He said the government plans to allocate around P1.5 billion for the Upland Development Program (UDP) this year while another P1 billion will be allotted for the implementation of the Bantay Kalikasan Program.

“Some of the country’s poorest communities are located in upland districts or around the vicinity of our watersheds and forest areas, where jobs are often scarce and environmental degradation limits economic growth and the creation of livelihood opportunities,” Panganiban said.

NAPC, which is under the Office of the President, oversees the implementation of the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP).

Panganiban said that, as of August, the government’s development plans called for the employment of some 61,900 workers under the Bantay Kalikasan Program this year while another 52,811 Filipinos are put to work under the UDP.

“The DENR had already hired around 44,178 workers under the UDP from January to August this year,” the NAPC chief said.