DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Davao Today’s investigative story on the failure of the country’s reforestation program was given an award from the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
The story, National Greenwashing Program: From Green Dreams to Barren Realities, which examined how the government’s reforestation program is implemented on the ground and its impacts on communities and ecosystems, was conferred the Most Development-Oriented Online Feature Article at the 20th UP ComBroadSoc Gandingan Awards held April 25.
This year’s Gandingan Awards carried the theme “Pakinggan, Tinig ng Kalikasan,” highlighting media work that brings attention to environmental concerns and the voices of communities affected by ecological degradation. Organized by the UP Community Broadcasters’ Society, the awards recognize national, local, and online media that contribute to public discourse and development-oriented reporting.
The Davao Today story, published in May 2025, was a year-long investigative story that looked into the experience of farmers, forest watchers and environment groups in Palawan, where they revealed a shared observation of how the Php 47-billion National Greening Program (NGP) failed in its reforestation target.
The story points to greenwashing on the part of government agencies, where they presented statistics to prop up success, to hide bad practices revealed by the sectors in Palawan such as cutting down native trees just to implement the program.
Another problem revealed in the story is how farmers have difficulty to access tenurial programs to sustain the reforestation programs.
Over one-third of NGP sites, or about 800,000 hectares, remain barren despite the program that was implemented in 2019. Over half of the NGP areas were placed in monocropping schemes for cash crops, contrary to planting diverse native trees.
The year-long investigative report was supported by the Journalismfund Europe and the Environmental Data Journalism Academy, a program of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and Thibi.
In her acceptance speech, Davao Today journalist Lucelle Bonzo said the recognition reflects both the work of the newsroom and the communities at the center of the story.
“Ang parangal na ito ay hindi lamang para sa aming newsroom, kundi para sa mga komunidad—lalo na ang mga katutubo at magsasaka—na nagbahagi ng kanilang karanasan at patuloy na apektado ng mga programang ipinangakong magpapanumbalik ng kalikasan.”
She added that the award is dedicated to those behind the stories being told.
“Iniaalay namin ang pagkilalang ito sa mga taong nasa likod ng bawat kuwento—sa mga komunidad, sa aming mga kasamahan, at sa lahat ng patuloy na lumalaban para sa katotohanan,” she said.
Launched in 2007, the Gandingan Awards is a student-led, university-based recognition program that honors media organizations and practitioners promoting development-oriented content. More than 200 nominees underwent a selection process led by a panel composed of students, faculty, and experts from various UPLB colleges.
The awards also partnered with Mamamayang Nagmamahal sa Pakil (MANAPAK), a community organization opposing the Ahunan Dam project in Laguna due to its potential impact on livelihoods and the environment.
Davao Today was also named a finalist in the Most Development-Oriented Online/Radio/TV Platform category, recognizing its sustained reporting on development and environmental issues.
Read the story here: <https://davaotoday.com/environment/national-greenwashing-program-from-green-dreams-to-barren-realities/>
You can read the second part of the story release on March 2026 here: https://davaotoday.com/environment/national-greenwashing-program-on-indigenous-land/ (davaotoday.com)
